New Age Salem
by RayneFire
Summary: Ryan was just trying to get through high school. Attracting the attention of Reid Garwin was the least of her worries. Or so she thought. Would she have to trust the Ipswich boys to help her when her life became endangered? Could she trust Reid?
1. Chapter 1

"–The Salem Witch Trials, many people died, yet many were also born in a desolate time where most of you ancestors condemned those who were thought to be born of the devil. All because it was a change to their once safe society, all because they didn't understand, but that's what we've been doing in the world since the beginning of time. So, is magic real? I believe so, it's all around you, and it's even in this room at this very moment. It's in the simplest gesture, in the softest change of light. Magic isn't just broomsticks and eye of news, which was what the popular belief is. It isn't hags dancing nude around a cauldron in Macbeth, but it's a way of life, that many people still practice today, and many people still have that gift, that gift from nature, because it did come from the Earth itself. And some of the most renowned witches and sorcerers are some of the world's most beautiful people –"

"Yeah, if you have a magic wand and do a little hocus pocus to get rid of those wrinkles." Justin Irving told her, from the back of the classroom, snickering, and making some of the other students laugh as well. She frowned at his lack of knowledge for natural beauty and graceful aging, and perhaps just for his lack knowledge.

"Mr. Irving's, do you have an actual argument, or are you attempting to be funny?" Ms. Joanna Scarlet looked at the oversized jock under a careful and disapproving gaze. She knew he wanted to just get by in life on nothing but sports, but it didn't stop her from trying to teach the lazy boy, with his amber brown eyes, and sienna brown scraggly hair, some manners and some history of his country; both, in which he was not very reluctant to learn. She was enjoying her star students' history report on the Salem Witch Trials, and witchcraft in general, and she made sure he knew it.

"Both Ms. Scarlet." He stated with mock courtesy, as he diverted his gaze from the livid look on her face, for him interrupting the bookworm's history lesson to the class. He thought that she almost knew that he had nothing, just wanted to show off to the class, well the girls in the class that he could get under her skin. And he was doing a good job at it as of this minute. He walked down the stairs of the auditorium like classroom, its old oak seats and desks, made back when the school first opened, and maintained all these years, led to an old fashioned chalk board, where a tall girl stood, dark blonde hair falling gracefully around her shoulders over the jacket of her school uniform. Long bangs, in which at their longest reached the middle of well shaped cheeks, and where the shortest reached just below her eyebrows, were swept the left side, obviously trained. Almond shaped, impromptu blue eyes were intelligent and furious under simple plucked eyebrows. Her high cheekbones showed through taunt skin, her nose was long and slender, and under a set of slender, top full rose colored lips. She was not perfect, faint scars lined her face and under her clothes, and there were a few pimples in which she did not try to hide. Her notes, he took noticed were in a neat stack and no doubt in order from the beginning of witches to the present day. He despised her, because she was the girl that stood up against him, and loathed him more than he her. He loathed her for her book smarts and street smarts, and for the beauty she had and did not know about she was the only one who would not bow down at his feet and swear to have his babies. As he waltzed up to that parallel podium he gave her a wide grin, in which she returned a sneer. She despised him, how he got into this class with being almost illiterate she was dumbfounded about, but he was a jock, and she knew, just as well as most of the teachers, even his parents, that he would never make it in life beyond a football player.

"She sure doesn't like you Irving." She heard a guy say, than chuckled a little after he said it, causing some of the other guy's chuckle as well. Reid Garwin, one of the 'oh so' famous Ipswich boys, she thought. He was handsome enough, as were all of them. She stared at him, his near shaggy head of almost white blonde hair, and blue eyes, that made even the depths of the Caribbean weep with shame, yet they showed an attitude greater than you'd ever imagine. All the Ipswich boys had attitudes, his though seemed to out distance them all. One of his closest friends Tyler Sims, the only one of the Ipswich boys she's ever had contact with, sat next to him a smile playing on his already beautiful lips and his grey blue eyes sparkled under spiked chestnut brown hair. I can't think of them that way, though all for four of them are gorgeous, she thought to herself diverting her eyes from them

"Shut up Reid." Caleb Danvers told him from across the room. His brown eyes glaring at his friend, they were like brothers, all four of them, yet they were all so different. Caleb with his big almost pouting lips, his melting dark chocolate eyes and model features, he was also the eldest. Pogue, who was sitting next to him on the right, looked to be your typical bad boy. Long dirty blonde hair fell almost to his shoulders, and his lean build and chiseled features that were shared by all of them led to light green eyes, and thing but firm looking lips, and was in a deep relationship with Kate Tunney. Reid was the second eldest, and Tyler the youngest.

"Boys be quiet, Mr. Irving enlighten us with your argument." Ms. Scarlet continues, while taking a tube of chap stick out and running it over her lips.

Justin, thought for a moment, racking for any idea of what to say, "Right, well let's see shall we. Witches and warlocks, and vampires have never existed." He said proudly folding his arms across his chest.

"Back it up." You jerk, Ryan Sage Siris thought to herself bitterly, she stated the comment heatedly, and rolled her eyes, placing her own arms across her chest.

"Fine I will." He turned to the podium leaning on it, hands gripping the edge of it. Ryan believed that if he put any more weight the podium may splinter and break. "When did witchcraft begin? Back before who knows when right?" He asked Ms. Scarlet, more for the help of her knowledge than actually knowing it himself. "Yeah, that's right. People went through life writing stories about what their grandparents did, people seeing accounts and so on and so forth. It's a bunch of bull, obviously they're all drunk and high off of some mountain –"

"Were you not listening to any of the lessons that were taught?" She accused him. "Most accounts were made by scribes. If you could read beyond an elementary based level you were understand. Other accounts were transcribed by priests who swore to the truth, who knew nothing but to write the truth down, which condemned most witches to death –"

"It's to get movies—"

"Movies! Ms. Scarlet, what he says he's based off the movies. He hasn't read a book in who knows how long. It has no relevance. Yes, Justin, movies can play a part of what we see but movies were back in the 1700s', they aren't the truth, they're contorted to show what viewers want to see. Magic is real, it's everywhere—" The bell rang.

"Ok guys, we're moving to the civil war. Read pages three hundred and forty one to page four hundred and fifty." Ryan sighed, as she finished stacking her notes, and then headed towards her seat in the third row to get her messenger bag, when someone bumped into her forcefully and everything tumbled out of her arms as she lurched forward, and down the stairs and landed on her shoulder with a wince.

"Watch where you're going bookworm," Justin Irving's voice rang out, as girlish laughter; she glared up at him from the floor. He shrugged and left, throwing an arm around a chestnut brown gone bleach blonde and a red head. She started to slowly gather her notes, attempting to ignore the pain in her left shoulder blade.

Starting to move it in a circular motion. "Stupid ass, conceited, no good prick." She mumbled, gathering her notes, a few which had footprints on them.

"You forgot inconsiderate and pussy." A cool voice stated above her. She looked up and saw Reid Garwin standing over her. His family came and stood behind him, as he bent to help retrieve the few papers she missed. Then stood holding a hand towards her, she ignored it and stood on her own, stumbling a bit before he steadied her by grabbing her arms. She tensed immediately at his touch.

"Simple words seem to fit him." She said jerking away from him, a move that did not go unnoticed by Reid. "Thanks Reid." She walked to her desk and looked for her purse and book bag. Neither was in sight. "Of all the low life—"

"Looking for these?" He asked holding her bags up to eye level.

She opened her mouth, but finding that words failed her of a smart comeback. "Why are you helping me?"

"Just being nice." She looked up at him skeptically; he was only about two inches taller than Ryan. She took her bags from him and placed her books and papers in it carefully.

"Nice isn't in your vocabulary." She turned and left him standing there. She walked down the hallway alone today, just like most days. Annie, her roommate had tennis practice than was going home to visit her parents for the weekend. Ryan had the weekend to herself she made a mental note to clean their room, and go shopping for provisions this weekend. Maybe she'd go dance in the aerobics room for a few hours.

"You know too much thinking isn't a good thing." Caleb stated beside her. She did not know how long he was walking with her, she really didn't care, but somehow the lines that were etched in her forehead softened with his easy smile.

"Caleb," she said quietly, after recovering from the jolt. "I like to think, excuse me I have things to do." She told him softly, not allowing her walls to fall just from a few nice words.

"Wait, you're presentation, in class, was amazing, where'd you gather your information?"

"From books. Look I don't know what you want but please I have to go."

"Big date?" He asked innocently, she raised an angry eyebrow at him.

"You and your cousins or whatever you guys are stay away from me." She ran away from him desperately seeking some solitude.


	2. Chapter 2

"What do you know about Ryan Siris?" Caleb asked, joining Pogue, Tyler, and Reid at the bar.

"Nothing why?" Pogue stated, sipping at his drink.

"She's kind of hostile," Reid added in.

"She has reason to be hostile. But she's distant from other people especially guys." Tyler told him.

"Why?"

"Big break up." He shrugged, whispering.

"How do you know about that and we don't."

"I listen," he stated quietly. "Some prick dumped her after she wouldn't sleep with him, he threatened her that if she couldn't have her no one could or would. Never dated since, she's too afraid if she did he would come after her or whoever she's with."

"Where is he?" Caleb asked furious, even though it was a girl that he barely knew, how could some prick threaten a girl and get away with it. It made no sense to him.

"Long gone, now, he's at Yale. Apparently he's big man on campus, comes from old money. She's not like us or over half the schools population either."

"Meaning?" Reid asked.

"Meaning, she's not rich, she's here on scholarships."

"And people look down on her." Caleb added, loosening his tie, heading towards the open pool table, the others following. They played a couple of games, laughing loudly and talking about nothing and everything. Sooner or later it came back to Ryan. "I've seen her at the grocery store a lot."

"She works there." Tyler stated simply, as they grabbed their stuff to leave.

"Also at the restaurant on the cove." Pogue added

"And at the library," Caleb added again.

"Wow," was all Reid said.

"Reid, you aren't going to ask her out are you?

He looked shocked and angry that they thought that he couldn't "And why shouldn't I?""

"She's not your type. She doesn't have the chest or the experience." Pogue laughed, and watched Reid puff up even more as they walked towards Tyler's Hummer and got in. "So we're going to that party right?"

"Yeah we're going." Reid stated happily, ready to get his mind off a certain bookworm blonde.

"No trouble Reid." Caleb told him cautiously, Reid just glared at him from the backseat.

The party was wild enough, lots of high school kids getting laid and drinking too much for their own good. Oh and getting high as possible was on that list too. Ryan knew she shouldn't be there, but it was Friday, Annie was gone and she was hoping to catch up with Dehlia. She stumbled over the terrain, berating herself for wearing three inch spiked heels. But heels would do that to you, she thought. She was about to take them off and bare the ground barefooted, but she thought better of it, she would rather risk a broken ankle than shattering the soles from broken glass and other objects. She let her hair fall down around her shoulders tonight, instead up in a ponytail, under her dusters hood. She steeped away from the fire, preferring the waves of the bay more than anything, she stopped abruptly. "Who are they?" She heard someone ask, she must be new, Ryan thought, as she looked in the direction of the voice, especially if they do not know who the Ipswich boys are. She instinctively lowered the hood nearer to her eyes and stood behind them.

"Sons of Ipswitch," her companion said, Pogue's girlfriend, Kate Tunney. "Said to be the descendant of the Ipswich families."

Ryan piped up, "Really," she asked rolling her eyes. "Except most girls only want to date them because of their witches blood and good looks. Not that them being swimmers has anything to do with it." She said standing next to Sarah.

"Yeah most girls, luckily I'm not one of them Ryan." Kate stated.

"Never said you were." And she walked away, hearing them talk about her while she did so. Kate was one of the few girls, perhaps the only girl that truly wanted to be with Pogue, for who he was, not what he was. But Ryan was one of the few girls that could care less about legends, despite her own family.

"Who were you talking to?" Pogue asked watching the figure walk away, obviously female with the way they were walking.

"Ryan."

"Why would she be here?"

"I don't know, you ask her."

"I will," Tyler said before he ran off to find her, not wanting the other's to make her upset, there was just something about her that he didn't want to make her upset.

"Hi, I'm Sarah, her new roommate."

"Nice to meet you." Pogue and Caleb said at the same time.

"Garwin, Reid Garwin." He said sticking out his hand. She shook his hand laughing at him, but looked at Caleb.

"I'm Caleb," he told her shaking her hand as well. Sparks flew as they began to talk. Reid glowering in behind them, checking out some of the other girls, looking for a familiar black duster.

"Hey Ryan wait up." Tyler yelled.

"Why do you guys have fascination with me? Or am I in the middle of the twilight zone for freaks?" She muttered towards the heaven.

"Excuse me?"

"You guys, you won't leave me alone anymore," all because of that stupid report, she thought. She would have to talk to her mother about them. "I have to go." She turned and walked off.

"I'm telling you Reid, there's something up with her."

"Like what?" He asked towel drying his hair, another wrapped around his waist, and his body glistened with water. His, like the others, were perfect, all that swimming, toned bodies and good looks ran in their families. But, he was interested, he didn't know why, in Ryan Siris, there was something about her that he liked that caused him to feel something else more than a periodical twinge in his nether regions.

"I don't know but I'm going to do laps."

"I'll come with you."

Tyler shook his head from side to side with amusement. "You just took a shower"

"So, I'll take another one." He headed for his swim trunks handing on the closet door, allowing his towel to drop and he changed in a matter of seconds, than they both headed for the pool.


	3. Chapter 3

She locked the door behind her, and headed to the pool through the girls locker room. She locked the main entrance to the pool and the other locker rooms. She didn't want anyone to bother her, she stripped out of her clothes and dove into the deep end, and went through the transformation. She didn't know why chlorinated water never bothered her as she looked down at the pale green fin with numerous brown splotches. She swam around the pool spending as much time in the diving area as possible. It was darker there anyways. Her blood was different that that of her mothers. After she turned thirteen the truth was known and she accepted them gracefully, just as she swam gracefully, she knew there was something odd about the Ipswich boys, and floating to the bottom of the pool she sat there watching her hair float wildly around her she thought about what she read and the boys that were so oddly fascinated with her.

"All the lights are off." Tyler stated as he looked through the gym doors.

"Weird, hit the switch." Reid told him. Light flooded into the boys locker room. "Now that weird since when are the doors closed?" He walked to the doors and tugged on them finding them locked. "No problem." His eyes flashed pitch black and the door bounced open lightly.

Tyler walked through first and stopped dead in his tracks. "No fucking way, –"

"Ryan?" Reid finished, coming to stand next to his friend. She turned around, and her arms flew up to cover her chest as she sank lower into the water. Searching she found her towel at the other end of the pool. Keeping her arms where they were she used her tail for propel herself towards the opposite end. She reached out for her towel, tugging on the edge, only to have it snatched away by Reid.

"Give me my towel Reid." She said dangerously.

"You want it you get it yourself."

"Fine." Submerging herself to the bottom she gave a couple good kicks with her fin and came up quickly, grabbing the towel with one hand, completing a back flip back into the pool, and had the satisfaction of smacking Reid in the face with the tip her fluke. Wrapping the towel around her body she sat on the edge of the pool and tried to dry herself off as quickly as she could. A second towel was draped over her should as Tyler sat next to her sticking his feet in the water feeling the coolness on his skin. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. So…you're a mermaid for real then?"

She slanted him a look and told him harshly "The only one in Maine." He looked at his friend who was still stuck where he was in a daze. "Have fun with your laps." She got up quickly and went to gather her clothes then walked towards the locker room. As her fingers closed around the cold aluminum of the handle Reid stood beside her and tugged it away. "So…you're the real descendants, go figure." She watched his eyes change back to their normal ice blue color. "Move."

"Make me."

"No." She walked towards the men's locker room and changed quickly. She turned and a small gasp succeeded in escape from her lips. "Leave me alone. Why can't you get that through your thick head. I don't want to have anything to do with your magic or you for the matter."

"You know would it hurt you to start getting close to other people." He held up his hands as she whirled on him.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know anything about me." She drilled a finger into his skin. Tyler came in then, after hearing the commotion he didn't want Reid to do anything irrational.

"Leaver her be Reid."

"No, people need to stop babying her."

"Whatever man, it's your funeral." He left going back to the pool to start on his laps.

Seeing that they were alone, Reid took a step closer, noticed that she took three steps back. "What's the problem, huh? Too afraid that your dear old boyfriend is going to find out."

"Stop thinking that you know what you're talking about." She said in a hiss, her fists bunched at her sides.

"You're afraid. You're a damn mythical creature and you're afraid of an old boyfriend. It happened, what, three years ago?" He continued his advancement until he stood in front of her, a mere half foot away until their faces could touch. "I'm not going to baby you Ryan, it's the truth is it not, it has been three years?"  
She punched in the arm. "And you want to know something her shows up every month to show me what he means in not ever getting another boyfriend, or making sure that I don't get close to people. Anyone." She punched him again, and he allowed her. "You saw my fin? Those brown splotches are scars. So I don't need you or anyone for that matter to show concern for my health or safety. Yeah I'm a creature of myth, you think I'm proud of it?"

"You should be. You know what people would do to have an ounce of the magic that's in your blood?"

"Let me think, oh yeah, they would kill me, put me on display and do scientific experiments just to feed their curiosity. There are consequences of being a mer-folk, or having an magic in your body. There are rules, there are consequences, but there are never rewards. You should know about the consequences, when you use your power for fun, when you know it can consume you. Causing you to grow older at a rapid rate. So don't tell me how to live my life when you do nothing to protect yours or your families." She turned and walked away quickly, leaving him standing there dumbfounded he could do nothing now but to go do his laps.

"She knows about us Caleb?" Tyler told him at lunch two weeks later.

"I kind of figured it out last week that she knew. So what?"

"She's a mermaid."

"Wait, I thought the last one was killed in '72, in Florida, what's a mermaid doing up her in Maine?"

"So did the rest of us, but she's the real thing, many people who have magic in their blood hide from the world. Kind of like we do."

"We don't hide Tyler, we're cautious, and there's nothing wrong with that, plus our powers are addictive. Not many people don't understand power anyways, they're afraid."

"Who's afraid?" Pogue asked walking into the old mansion.

"People."  
"No shit, so what is this I hear about mer-folk?"  
"She's in our English class."

"Simons, I always figured she was." They all thought about the voluptuous red head in their English class.

"I wouldn't have a doubt if she was but we're talking about Ryan." Caleb told him quietly shaking his head.

Pogue stopped short from going to the fridge. "Really? That's interesting. Hey do you guys want to go to the bar tonight?"

"I Can't I've got errands to run." That's all he had to say, they knew that he had to go pick some things up for his father, especially his medication, his father couldn't live without it.

"Right, I'll ask Reid." He started to dial the number in on his cell, than frowned as the conversation lasted less than a minute. "When does Reid ever do research?"

"Never." Tyler added with a snicker

"Unless, it's about Ryan, he's taken an odd interest to her.

"It's probably due to the facts she doesn't drool over the sight of him." Pogue stated with a short laugh, zipping up his jacket.

"I'm glad, he keeps popping up around Sara so I've heard, and it kind of freaks her out."

"Right, well I don't want to keep you boys waiting so I'm going to head out. Baby boy you coming?"

"Behind you. See ya Caleb."

"See ya." He locked the door behind him and walked to his car. Taking a glance up to the second floor he saw curtains move and he thought of his mother. Then he thought of Sara and smiled.

"Do you have anymore salt?"

"It should be back by the freezers. Just come get me if it's not there."

"Alright. I will." She moved along the other customers to the freezers.

"Hello Ryan." A voice stated with a chuckle, she froze. "You always look so good." He grabbed her neck and placed a kiss on it.

"Donovan. Please leave me alone, I have nothing else to give you." She whispered frantically.

He increased the pressure around her neck as she began grip his wrists tightly. "Oh you have plenty more to give me, sweetheart. You'll know when I'm done with you." He scraped his teeth along her earlobe his hands slid ruthlessly down her body gripping her breasts harshly before they made their way to her wrists using one large hand he gripped both wrists tightly as his other slid under her shirt to caress what she never gave him willingly.

"Please just leave me alone." She begged quietly she pulled against his hold trying desperately to get free.

"Shut up." He slammed her against the edge of the shelf, her head began to throb. "Don't you dare tell me what to do."

"Let her go Donovan." Caleb stated swiftly, he had seen how people fled the corner of the convenient store quickly curiosity got the best of him and he went to see what was wrong. Seeing a helpless Ryan being held against her will didn't do anything to calm him. Seeing Donovan, the very man in which he wanted to murder for the threats didn't calm him either.

"Shove off Danvers, this isn't any of your business."

"She is my business, leave, I won't ask you again."

Shoving her back again she slumped to the ground. "I warned you what would happen if you got involved with anyone again."

"He's not my boyfriend." She whimpered struggling to get up and gather her basket. She hurried away, rubbing her neck, she got three aisles when she stopped and looked at herself in the reflection of the cooler. She felt dizzy as she felt her head, and felt the stickiness. Pulling her fingers away she saw the blood running through her fingers. She hated him, hated how he thought he could control her, she hated herself even more for letting him control her when she knew she was stronger. She shivered as she thought about the molestation he invoked on her, yet she couldn't go to the police, they wouldn't believe her. And with his father being a supreme court judge she knew he would have the upper hand in any court case.

"Are you ok?"

She looked up, saw Caleb standing over her, she never realized that she had sunk to the floor and that she was crying. "I'm fine, it's nothing." She got up and once again gathered her things. He watched her walk away, head held high, powerful purposeful strides that carried her to the register to pay for her things. No wonder Reid was attracted to her, he walked to the counter and she was already gone he stood and waited for his father prescription. He turned to see Kate, Sara, and Chase. He smiled at them.

"Hey Caleb."

"Hey, guys. What are you guys up to?"

"Stocking up. You want to go see that new Brad Pitt film?"

"Sorry I can't, I've got errands to run."

"I've already seen it." Sara added right afterwards. Looking up at him with a large smile.

"Do you want to run errands with me?"

"I'd love to." Kate smiled at the too as she and Chase paid for their purchases and walked out after them.


	4. Chapter 4

"It was Donovan again wasn't it?" Gwendolyn asked, her daughter looked unhappy and beaten.

"I wish that he would just move on. I'm not going to give him anything." She sat on the couch defeated.

"There is a way." Her mother sat next to her, took Ryan's chin into her hands gently. Her sea green eyes were sad and bright under the graying raven hair. Her mother gave up the full price to be human, to live on land with her daughter.

She shook her head furiously. "No, I'm not going back down there for life either. I like being up here on land. I like the gift that I was given from grand mama. I like being able to choose when and where I want to become what I was born. Donovan needs to go, the Ipswich boys upset him, and they've been sticking around."

Her mother seemed to think about it. She knew from her daughter that they were the descendants from a deep linage of warlocks and witches. "They could protect you." She said as an afterthought.

"I don't want their protection. I need love, I need a father."

"You know your father protects what ours and whatever threatens our nurseries. Ryan give them a chance you know Donovan can't do anything to them. I know you need love, but what a mother gives as well as your father can only go so far. You know this. You've seen this between couples." She kissed her forehead and hugged her closely. "I hear you heart, I know your heart too. Its fragile but it's strong. You've healed honey, you need to know when to give it away again. Not all guys are the devil, sometimes those that act like the devil only do so to show off. Those like Donovan, those nice ones are the ones you have to watch out for. You know I love you. Just take what I say and think on it."

Hugging her mother back Ryan let a few tears slip away. "Thank you mom. I love you too. I'm going to go down to the lagoon see if Daphne is there."

Chuckling, Gwendolyn shook her head. "Honey, Daphne is a seal, you can't control her."

"No but she is my friend, we play together." She kisser her mothers cheek and walked out the door. Down their sidewalk was Reid, standing, looking as though he was contemplating walking through the gate or to turn and walk away. She stopped dead in her tracks. "How'd you find me?"

"There aren't that many Siris's in the area. I have connections."

Ryan walked to the gate, opening it she stepped through and closed it securely. "Can we talk?"

"Reid Garwin wants to talk, where's a camera when you need one?"

He blew out a breath, stuck his hands in his pockets. "Caleb told us what happened."

Copying him she blew out a breath as well, and thought about her mothers words. "Fine come on." Inside Gwendolyn Siris was smiling, the sea witch was right, at least about a couple of things. Time was on their side, she walked to the kitchen deciding on some tea. She liked how the boy carried himself. Arrogant, toying with her ring and thinking of Mac she smirked, things change and people compromise.

In the woods they walked in silence until Reid broke it with an exaggerated "So –"

"So what?"

"Where are we going?

"You'll see, and you better not tell anyone about this place or about what I am or I'll drown you."

"Fine I swear I won't tell." He watched her out of the corner of his eyes; saw how at peace she was with being in the trees. Her hair was swept onto the top of her head and she wore a simple blue, long sleeve shirt. There was a small butterfly bandage on her temple. His blood boiled at the thought of an ass like Donovan taking advantage of her.

"Do you believe in lifemates?" Ryan asked out of the blue, startling Reid enough to look at her fully.

"Lifemates?" What the hell, he thought, was she getting at.

"That one person in your life that you meet and are drawn to by a unexplained forces are the one that you're to be with? That you are made for each other no matter how different or alike you two are?"

"Oh, I don't know." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"That was what I thought Donovan was, until her broke me that is."

He understood now, she was telling him about her and the jackass so he would understand. "And now?"

"And now I wonder if I'll ever be the same. We're here." He looked around, trees covered an open stretch of water. Moon light spilled through the leaves and the white caps of waves. She wandered into the water, climbing out of her jeans she threw them on shore and transformed before his eyes. She still had her long sleeved shirt ton, it was sticking to her skin and though she was wearing a bra Reid could she the outline of her nipples. He sucked in a breath, but as quickly as he saw them they disappeared obviously her body had grown use to the temperature. She dove under the water swiftly, leaving him to stand watching the water. Taking off everything but his boxer briefs he waded in chest deep, he turned around wondering where she could be, if the little twinge in his gut would ever go away when she was around him. As he stood there lost in his thoughts she snuck next to him and dragged him under. His yell was drowned out by the sound of water, when he opened his eyes he saw that she was in front of him, blonde hair floating in a mass that looked like kelp to him. He saw towards the surface. "You just couldn't help yourself could you?"  
"Just as much as you like to butt into peoples lives."

"Touché." He grinned at her. She just gave him a small smirk.

"Anyways, I'm still trying to figure it all out. Why you and your friends have this fetish with me."

"Because you know more about us, and—" he pointed at her to emphasize his point. "You're not afraid of us."

"Who said I wasn't afraid?"

"Demeanor."

"Demeanors can be deceiving. Now give me your hands, and you take this in anyway other than what its intended purpose is I'll fillet you and feed you to a shark." She came close to him and placed a hand on either side of his face pressed her lips against his. Blowing oxygen into his lungs and dragging him underwater. He opened his eyes as they swam deeper, he saw an almost eerie glow beneath them. He felt his air diminishing and tugged her arm she turned and with the exact purpose blew air into his lungs. He also noticed that their lips only pressed together lightly. That simple act made him want to draw her closer and kiss her with a passion he never felt before. But before he could figure it out, she tugged him along her fin kept brushing against his torso and it sent electric thrills through him, he glanced at her. She was so at ease with the water, he wondered how he could leave something that she loved so desperately that gave her the freedom that she always wanted. Watching her body move against the water he nearly gave into the urge of running his hand against it to see if it was scaly or smooth. Maybe it was both? He thought, snap out of it Reid. Shaking his head he moved his eyes farther up settling on her rear a smile formed loosely on his lips before continuing his journey. Her hips were graceful and curved into a smooth and taunt abdomen. Scales ran up to the sides of her breasts, which he could be grateful that the sea pushed her shirt up, just enough to tease him with glances of a blue bra. He wondered if it was lace? Golden brown hair was flowing gracefully around her face. Did she know how beautiful she was? He really had to stop thinking of her like this. He snapped out of his daydream when she turned to him and pointed to the same glow that he had seen when they first dove. He had no choice but to go with her. Closer he saw that it was a cavern and instead of the water being freezing, heat radiated from that spot and he was amazed.

Gliding in they broke the surface as she easily jumped to sit on a ledge he wiped strands of blonde hair out of his eyes and turned around. Combing her hair through with a simple brush her dad made her out of coral she smiled at his awe. When he faced her, her breathing hitched a notch or two. No wonder all the girls at the academy wanted him. It took all her strength to continue to brush her hair out. Flipping her tail carelessly she sprayed him with water, to break the trance she leaned back taking in the warmth of the caverns walls. "Where are we?" He asked breaking the silence. He thanked the gods that she stopped brushing her hair and that the water we hiding the fact on that the twinge in his lower regions was concealed.

"Its below the cliffs, my dad and a couple other mermen built it for me when I was four or five, it was my thirteenth birthday present. During the winter I would spend most of my time down here away from the surface, from people."

"From Donovan?"

"Yes, from Donovan, it's my safe haven, he'll never know about it. It helps me relax. Helps me remember all the times my dad and I would come here and he would tell me stories."

"Your father would be?"

"Sir Gallivant Gracius Siris the third." She stated in an overtone of pleasure but sarcasm dripped through.

He watched her fin flip casually before she tucked it beside her. He asked "Where is he?"

"Where all the other mermen are, back in our world protecting our nurseries of some age old plight." She rubbed a certain spot of brown. He thought of the scars she mentioned, of what Donovan did to her, it made his blood pressure rise.

Swimming to the edge of the ledge he looked up at her. "Why won't you let us help you?" He asked it out of more than just curiosity.  
She looked at him as he finally gave one powerful kick to help himself out of the pool and onto the rock next to her. "Because, it isn't for you to worry about. Ever since I was thirteen I've refused help from basically everyone. We mermaids are commonly known for our beauty, or hideousness and our deceit. Why let someone help you when we know, if not them, that something bad will always happen and that they are only doing it out of the first of the three that I mentioned?"  
"Beauty only goes so far." He reminded her.

Nodding in agreement she added. "Says the boy who uses his to get girls into bed. And himself into and out of more trouble then it costs us to go to school."

"You think I'm beautiful?" He asked shocked.

"Don't get big-headed you know you are. All you Ipswich boys are. Now is it genetics or magic to get you to look the way you do?"  
"So you can be nice." He was nearly pleased that she called him beautiful.

"Oh shut up." They fell into an easy silence. She seemed to be in deep thought while he explored around the edge of the rocks.

"Does Donovan know?"

Shaking her head clear of the thoughts of dragging Reid's kissable lips to her own. She looked at him confused. "What?"  
"Does Donovan know about you being what you are?"  
"No one does. Except for you and your friends."

"We won't tell."

"You better not." She stated heatedly

"You can trust us, how many times do I have to tell you." He countered.

She turned to him completely as they faced off; each others face set in a fierce glare. "I can? Really? The last person who told me that ends up choking me in the back of a convenient store. And no one can do a thing because his father is very powerful and can cover up whatever screw ups his son makes. I can't tell you how many times I wish I could travel back into time and stop all the molestation."

His glare softened. "I'm not saying trust us completely yet, but just to start to. We're not bad, and for the most part we use our powers for good. Especially Caleb. All the other times are harmless fun. Let me see." It took her a moment to comprehend what he said because of the plea and the softness that he spoke in. Inching closer he watched her move her hair to the side. His hands brushed gently over the bruise that was left on her throat, than very slowly making sure that their eyes stayed on each other her brushed his lips lightly on each side of her tender throat. She felt her pulse jump as a shiver ran down the center of her back and settled in her stomach.

He felt it too, felt the spark along his skin. "Anywhere else," He asked quietly. She held her hands up to where he could see the finger marks around her wrists. She didn't say anything as he placed a kiss in each spot where a finger mark was. When he finally let her hands go they dropped like a dead weight to her scaly lap. "What now?"

Breaking their trance she looked at the grotto's opening. "We go back." She slide effortlessly into the water and watched him dive in. this time they circled each other and watching. And this time he came to her and when air filled his lungs he felt the same electrifying sensation as before. He grabbed her hands and they swam towards the entrance.

They took the necessary break for Reid to stabilize his body from the pressure changes. When they surfaced and started to swim towards shore she froze, her body rigid "What's wrong?"

"He's here." She whispered pointing to the surface.

"Let me help you then."

"I don't see how you can."  
"Remember


	5. NOTE: Apology

So I want to apologize to everyone

**So I want to apologize to everyone...I have the stories I want to post, a little more tweaking and they're almost done. One small problem though...the jump drive, that has become my life with all my writings, as well as numerous papers for my classes...has disappeared. Sad I know, and I will hope that I can find it. Pray or hope or whatever that I can find it...its pretty much my life, I've had that thing for years. So I just wanted to apologize again especially for those who enjoy reading my stories...thank you for reading this. **


	6. Chapter 5

Three weeks passed and she still hadn't heard, seen, or even felt Donovan. She was doing alright at avoiding Reid and the other Ipswich boys, after that one night on the beach she decided that she didn't want to feel anything for the blonde headed warlock to be. He always tried to succeed in cornering her in the library, the lunchroom and even the hallways at school. Once he came to the cove when she was swimming, she was among the rocky shore on the other side and stayed well hidden until he was gone. She knew she was being a coward but she just didn't want the emotions, besides she though, he already found someone else.

Beginning to scrub the floors at the restaurant she thought back to last week. Gretchen Wilkinson, a busty brunette with deep brown eyes and a curvy waist line. Ryan remembered when she passed them in the hallway to the shower room. Gretchen towel was pooled around her waist, her arms locked around Reids neck as he hands traveled lower on her back. She remembered she had fled quickly, and the rise of jealousy in the pit of her stomach shocked her. It still did, she rubbed her stomach then continued to push the scrub brush along the tiled floors. She had cried then, she would not cry again. Maybe her mother was wrong, she thought as she finished up admiring her hard work she walked back into the kitchen to throw away the dirty water. Wiping her sleeve across her brow she turned to the owner. "All done for the night Mr. Vasler." She told him, gathering her purse and coat.

"All right Ryan, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes sir, switched with Graham this week, his mom is sick, or so he said. I need the extra work anyways." She shrugged.

"Ryan," He warned. "You don't always have to work so hard. You know that don't you?"

"So I've heard, but I don't mind it. Really."

"Alright then. But you get sick and I'm forcing you to take a vacation."

She actually let out a full laugh as she walked out the back door to her bike. Mr. Vasler was the only man who she actually cared about. He was a surrogate father to her in so many ways, while her own was away in the warmer waters of the Atlantic doing what he did best. Rubbing her arms lightly she began her four mile ride home. Her mother would kill her if she found out that Ryan was still riding home alone, in the dark. Though bright lights lined the foggy streets, her mother still worried. She some branches snap as she turned down her road and looked out into the trees. Probably some animal, she thought, grateful she was almost home. She heard something that sounded oddly human and she stopped looking at the trees. "It's nothing." She murmured and continued on. Only when she was safe behind the fence of her own yard did she really look to the other side of the road. Seeing nothing she walked inside locking the door behind her.

Chase stared at the little house near the cliffs. Donovan was right, there was something up with Ryan Siris. He was determined to find out, along with the 'said' descendant of the Ipswich colony. If everything was true about them, they were all in for a wild wicked ride. Five more weeks and it would be Calebs' birthday. He would have all that he needed to take over the small little Ryan Siris and her so called gifts.

Caleb and Tyler watched Ryan seat herself at the end of their table in the lunchroom. This had been going on too long while Reid plastered himself to Gretchen. She glanced quickly at them and just as quickly as she glanced she was looking back down at her book. They both saw the tears that threatened to overspill at any moment. Sliding down the benches they flanked her on either side. They tried to talk to her, attempted to get her to open up, and get to know her. She wasn't making it easy, it this proved it. Pogue came and sat on the other side of her, stealing a couple of her French fries. They all looked at her expectantly. She looked at her book, doing little then actually reading, she tried to ignore them. Pogue reached over, shut the book, and succeeded in taking it away, holding it out of her reach. Crossing her arms she stared directly across from her at Caleb. Sara, Kate, Gretchen, and Pogue were oblivious to what intervention was happening, as they all continued to talk. "Can I have my book back?"

"What's up with you?" Caleb asked.

"Nothing, give it back," she snatched at her reading material. He only held it farther out of her reach. Huffing she pushed her hair back behind her ears.

"Tell us." Tyler's quiet voice made her look at him. And with looking at him she stole a glance at Reid. She was so stupid. Of course, they weren't there, they were probably off in some janitors closet having unsolicited sex. "What happened with you and Reid?" He probed gently.

That was nearly her undoing. She stared at him. "Why would you think that anything happened between Reid and I?"

"Because you're pouting and you keep glancing at where he was sitting." Pogue informed her lightly.

"I was not, and I don't pout." She denied. "I have to get to class."

"We'll walk you." Caleb insisted.

"No, you don't have to." She mumbled. "Thank you though." She got up quickly, took the moment that they sat staring at her to steal her book back and grab her things, before she made a quick exit.


	7. Chapter 6

Classes, Ryan thought, never changed. She had yet another encounter with the prep society. Their belief that she was nothing made her laugh. She may have been nothing to them here, but if they knew her true identity they would definitely think differently, but then again they would put her on some test table and label her a freak. She sometimes wished that her life was different, that she was not a mermaid. She studied the back of her hands; the small scar on the side of her wrist, her grandmother had given her the one gift she truly ever wanted. She sighed; no, being a mermaid was not so bad, being a human knowing that she was a creature of myth had its complications. She missed the freedom of the warm waters, where no human would ever sight them, where she had carefree life that those on land often seeked. She had the best of both worlds; she could last a few more years until she finished college and move to where she wanted, back to the warm waters or stay here in the north. Looking at her watch she hurried off to her last class – history – in which she had class with all the Ipswich boys. She sighed and looked upwards; she couldn't get away from them. She paused outside the door; she didn't know why she was running away from all of them, when she only had a problem with one of them.

Later that night three heads were huddled together at a corner table and Nikki's. Reid was no where to be in sight and Ryan was off working at the restaurant, doing overtime. Caleb leaned back and looked at Pogue and Tyler. "The way I see it boys is that they've got two choices. Either they talk freely to each other or we make them."

Ryan made her way down to the pool, there was a party going on down by the cliffs so she was alone to ponder the last few weeks of her life. She still remembered the night that Reid pretty much saved her life and woken her up to what she was missing. "Stop thinking about the moron." She chided herself. Locking the doors she made sure that no light spilt across the pool, she wanted complete darkness to wallow in her life that went straight back to where it was. She groaned inwardly she should ask her grandmamma to curse Reid so he couldn't have children or better off he could get off, but then again that would get her no where, she would be as miserable as he would. She removed her clothes and folded them on the side of the pool before she slide in as she shimmered into her old skin. Floating on the surface she thought about what she should do about Reid, because she couldn't get him out of her head she was allowing herself to slip in her classes. It was easier with Donovan because she didn't want to think about him and his disgusting, perverted, chauvinistic soul. May whatever god he knows have mercy on his soul when he dies, she though dismally. Diving under she sank to the bottom of the pool and sat in a corner, she watched her hair float around her, and then looked at her hands; did he really think her beautiful? I wish I knew, she thought.

She saw a light at the surface that was moving like havoc against the surface of the water. Was it a flashlight? She wasn't willing to find out and she was definitely not willing to get caught in her current state. She moved to the other corner. She, she cursed herself, my clothes. She could use what small amount of powers that she had, but unfortunately they didn't not include manifesting her clothes to where she currently was. She swam to the surface and broke it quietly, she listened as the locks jingled. Two seconds later the chains clanked to the floor.

"Siris?" She would never forget the deep rumble of that voice. What was Caleb doing here? "Ryan are you here?"

"She's not here Caleb, there's no one here." That must've been Pogue's voice, because Tyler's was higher, and Reids – well Reids made her break out in goose bumps and caused a stirring in her stomach that she didn't even understand.

"Well someone is here," he said shining his flashlight on the pile of clothes on the more shallow side of the pool. "Hold on," before she could blink, lights flooded the pool deck and caused her to go momentarily blind. She covered her arms over her chest and before she could regain her eyesight she heard their sharp intake of breath. "Ryan?"

She gave him a droll stare, "Who else would it be Pogue?"

"I don't know, maybe the queen of England?"

"Sorry to disappoint you." She swam to where her clothes were folded and looked over her shoulder. "Would you two please not look over here?"

"Sure." Caleb turned around and when Pogue just stood there, he turned him around too.

"I'm going to do laps, do you want to come?" Tyler asked Reid who was sitting on his bed looking absentmindedly at the television.

"No. I'm good."

"She won't be there you know. She's at her grandmothers." Tyler stated casually.

Which meant she was under the ocean, Reid thought and frowned. He had no idea how a playful and somewhat flirtatious night turned so wrong. He groaned. The only reason why he had even gone out with the whore of the century was to try and get Ryan off his mind, and the way she looked as a siren. His body even reacted to even the mere thought of her, and it was driving him crazy. He wanted her, that much was certain, he didn't know what else to do. Maybe laps would do him good, and get her out of his system that way.

"So you coming?" Tyler asked, pausing at their dorm door.

"Yeah I'm coming." He walked carefully to the bathroom and thought of fat naked men with hairy backs as he changed into his swim trunks.

.

Dressed in her shirt Ryan swam before them, Pogue still found it hard to believe that quiet Ryan Siris was a mermaid.

Caleb on the other hand was completely at ease with it. He sat at the edge and dangled his feet in the water, occasionally wondering what it would feel like to have a fin. Deciding against it he looked at Ryan, and wondered how he hadn't known what she was, naturally.

"You can't tell." She finally said.

"I know. We won't, just like I know you won't let anyone know about us. Right?"

She placed an X over her heart. "Promise."

"So a mermaid, huh?"

She laughed. "Aint it a bitch."

He stared at her for a moment. "No, you're lucky it doesn't drain your life force."

"That's the bitch." Pogue inserted before he finally relaxed enough to sit next to his 'brother'. "And at least you don't have people of your own trying to kill you for your power."

She gave him a perplexed look before looking at Caleb. "What is he talking about?"

"Chase. He's one of use. Except I think he's trying to obtain my powers, since I'm suppose to ascend in a week. Weird shit has been going on lately."

"I think he's been watching me in the woods. When I ride home from work."

"Why would he do that?"

Ryan shrugged. "I don't know if it's him or not, just I get the feeling that someone or something is watching me, and I can't shake it. It's malevolent, and its not human."

They heard the voices before Tyler and Reid both entered into the area. Tyler was smiling and so was Reid until he saw Ryan. Ryan pretty much sank under the water for a few seconds to collect herself. Seeing as that wasn't working she made a bolt for were her pants were. It was bad case of deja'vu. Tyler held her pants up and stepped away from the pool knowing her last trick that she used when he and Reid first discovered her. Reid was being held by Pogue, with Caleb in front of him. He could tell that they were using their powers to control him. Now if they would only look at each other and start talking this would all be over. "Tyler, give me pants."

"No." He actually smirked, she could feel his triumph.

"Tyler. Give. Me. My. Pants." She annunciated each word slowly.

"Forget. It." He smiled at her before he strolled over to where the other three were. She watched him as she contemplated changing and making a dash for the locker rooms or keeping her modesty in tacked and staying exactly where she was.

"Ok how many weeks has it been since what happened with Donovan?" Tyler asked seriously. He looked at Reid who at least calmed and changed back to himself before he cast a glance at Ryan and shrugged. Ryan lifted a shoulder before looking away. "Look whatever was said between you two hash it out here, or in your room or in our room. Hell you can even go back to where it all started and hash it out there. But this has got to stop."

"You both need to grow up, and that's saying something. Ryan you're miserable, and I've talked to Amy you're grades are slipping. She knows something is up but you won't talk to her." He gave her a small smile that touched her before he turned to Reid. "And you you're just being a dumbass. Instead of facing your problems like a man, you coward between the legs of the easiest girl at our school. Gretchen is a man-eater, you know that."

"Why do I get name called." Reid asked.

"Because you're being one right now." Pogue stated as he finally let Reid go.

They all watched Ryan now, who was sitting at the far edge of the pool sitting on the edge of the pool. There was no use in running now. Tyler at least cared about her to ask her roommate about her well being. Caleb cared about everyone, and that somehow touched her considering he didn't know her at all. And Pogue, just looked confused all the time, she didn't know what to think of him. "What?"

"Are you willing to talk this out?" Caleb asked her.

"If I wasn't would you make me?"

"Yes." He stated simply.

She stared at all four of them. Willing, or being made to do something against her own will. She was tired of doing things against her will. She wanted Reid back in her life, even though he was never really in it in the first place. She wanted contentment, she wanted – him. She stared at her tail, as she was sure that her cheeks were burning bright with blush right now. She nodded slightly, "I'm willing to talk if he is."


	8. Chapter 7

They stared at each other. He promised he wouldn't use his powers to escape. It would drain even more life from him, and he wanted to live a long life, despite what the rest of his family thought. Ryan was still in her more natural form, and Reid could just look at her, then at the water, then back at her. He was never like this, he didn't understand it, he wanted to know where this shyness came from. Usually he was using all the cheesiest pick up lines in the world and they worked. But not now. Not with Ryan.

They sat staring at each other. Neither one of them knew exactly what to say. Neither one of them wanted to say what needed to be said, either. They didn't want to stay either, but Ryan didn't want to watch Reid walk away, again. Reid was thinking the exact same thing about her.

Ryan sat under the diving board leaning against the concrete base, she nearly started to twiddle her thumbs together, but instead she smoothed the scales of her lap, her tail flipped casually against the water.

Reid stared at her out of the corner of his eye as he sat next to the step ladder that led up out of the depths of the diving well. This was crazy, he could easily use his powers and blast the doors apart, but that would be breaking his promise. Curse him for keeping his promises, always. "So?" He broke the silence with a single question.

"So – what?" she looked at him now, his hair hung in his eyes and all she wanted to do was swim over there and brush it away to stare at the blue depths that created his eyes. She was becoming increasingly addicted to those eyes. He wore his swim trunks and the towel that had hung over his shoulder when he came in was discarded without a thought in a corner.

The doors broke open and a frustrated Tyler came in "Would you two start talking already! It's been an hour and you both said a single syllable word!" He yelled, with a final glare he left them alone and the chains once again were placed on the handles.

Ryan had to stifle a laugh as Reid glared over at the now closed door. She focused her attention on Reid's side profile, she really had to stop staring at him like this and when he focused his attention on her she couldn't look away. "We screwed up didn't we?" She asked him, sliding into the water she swam towards him placing swimming towards him, ready to focus on what needed to be done. "Can we just start over, at the beginning?"

The sincerity in her voice and her eyes got to him even though he nearly didn't want it to. "It depends on if you want to actually let us get close to each other or if the next time I say the wrong thing you'll run away and shut me out."

"I'm learning. I know you're not Donovan, but it is still a scary thing for me to get close to you. I want to try. But you have to give me a reason to do that."

He laid a hand over hers. "I can't do that. I can't promise you anything that I don't even know.

She felt his thumb lightly brush over the back of her hand she looked at them, smirking she did the last thing that he thought she would do. She grabbed his hand and pulled him in.


	9. Chapter 8

Reid came up sputtering, wiping water from his eyes and slicking his hair back out of them. He saw a look on Ryan's face that he hadn't seen in awhile, unbridled happiness. But just as soon as it came it went and when she frowned he had an itch that he knew what she was thinking about. "Why Gretchen?"

"Easiest way to release built up sexual frustration." He seemed to shrug it off so easily that it almost had her hugging her arms around herself for comfort. How can guys do that so easily, just think that one sex fest is all that it takes to get rid of all their worries and troubles?

"Release from what?" When he didn't answer her, she somehow figured it out and it pissed her off. "So it's that easy for you huh? Going to the easiest girl in school just so she can scratch an itch that you have?" She yelled. "Well fine by me, don't let me get in the way of ruining your fun." She started to swim away until he caught her wrist and turned her around.

"Look I know you don't understand, I don't expect you to. It was my choice, do I regret it, yes. Did I make a mistake, yes. I'm sorry! Ok! I'm so damn sorry that I didn't know how to confront whatever happened between us." He took a deep breath and let go of the wrist that he held. And swimming to the edge of the pool he latched a hand onto the hard concrete. He didn't look at her when he spoke next. "Do you know I see you everyday? Everyday. You're usually walking with your head down in a book reading somehow managing not to walk into anyone. You think you're invisible, but you're not. I've always seen you and now I can't get thoughts of pushing you against the lockers so that I can show the world and you that you aren't as invisible as you think you are. But I can't fucking touch you because you're like the fucking epitome of innocence!"

"So just because I'm not experience mean you get to run to another girl. That makes a whole lot of sense."

The sarcasm that dripped off her tongue made the corners of his mouth quirk upward just a bit. "It does to me."

She groaned. "You would say that. But I guess that because you're a guy. And for some reason all guys feel that they need to screw everything with two legs and a vagina whenever they're having a bad day. Excuse me if I don't see the sagacity in that." She swam to where her towel was.

He groaned and followed after her. Was speechless for a moment when she jumped out of the water. "I don't expect you to. I screwed up. I'm a screw up in general, but I know that you won't get out of my head. I close my eyes and I see you. I dream about the night at the lagoon. My head is going to explode because of you. How many times do I have to say I'm sorry before you actually forgive me?"

She paused for a second at his declaration before continuing to dry off. She was quiet through the whole thing. He stayed beside her, still in the water standing near the edge. He watched as scales were replaced by flesh and a fin became two legs. He fought the urge to touch her skin. "Why don't you automatically change like you did that night?"  
"Because, it takes a lot of energy and I only do it when I have to. When it's an emergency. Unlike some people that I know."

"What are you talking about?"

"Caleb told me about the –" What was it called? She couldn't remember

"Darkling?"

She nodded.

He groaned again, scrubbed his hands over his face and stared at her. "Why does no one believe me? That night I did not use. I didn't use it the night before, and I sure as hell didn't use it the night after." He jumped out of the water.

Looking up at him she frowned and stood up. Reaching out she grabbed his hand. "I believe you. I wasn't talking about the darkling per say. I was talking about the fact that most of the time when you're having your fun, you 'use'. You know what it does to you, why do you still do it?"

"Seemed like a good idea at the time." He gripped her hand tighter and pulled her against him. Wrapping his arms around her body he held on tight and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I'm sorry. For everything that I've ever done to hurt you, and me saying that is a big deal."


	10. Chapter 9

"I'll ask you again Ryan, where does this leave us?"

"I don't know." She pulled out of his arms and began to pace. He had a hard time not watching her legs, as she clutched the towel to her body. Where did this leave them? "I won't lie to you. I really do like you, more than I should I think. But this whole – "

He quipped her with the perfect word, "Fiasco."

The tips of her mouth quirked upwards. "Ordeal. What if it happens again? I'm not easy, I'm not a prude either, but I do have morals. Seriously, I mean, c'mon what if you get bored after a week, after a month, huh? What if you think I'm what you want, but I'm not?"

"I couldn't –"

"You say that now, but how many girls have you told that to?" She stopped and faced him fully. "Look, I know that Caleb's birthday is in two weeks, give me that much time to think things over. Its also two weeks for you to think and to figure out where you stand in life as of now, and we'll see where we stand, ok?

He couldn't speak – no girl had ever cut him to the core – but then again Ryan wasn't like most girls. The only thing he could do was nod. She gave him a small smile, gathered her things and left. Caleb, Tyler, and Pogue were gone, she was glad. She walked to the hall bathroom to take a shower, she had a long couple of weeks.

Things were more or less back to normal by the end of the first week. Her grades improved, her appetite returned and Donovan had returned to cause havoc in her life. A fact that she hated with a fiery passion that only Poseidon could describe. Reid had become almost glued to her side, but that was all, he didn't touch her, didn't kiss her, kept his thoughts and his hands to himself. She hated it. He would brush her arm lightly just from walking close together and it would send chills down her spine and cause her to step away. He couldn't breathe when he was around her, he still just wanted to push her against the lockers and show the school that she was his and he was hers.

The good thing about Reid and the Ipswich boys was that they never left her alone long enough for Donovan to approach her. She wasn't as worried about Donovan alone, as she was with the fact that he and Chase Collins were hanging around together and made several appearances at her job – together. She hoped it was nothing, it still unnerved her though.

She was pushing books in the library Friday night; everyone was out partying or at Nikki's. She had work to do, and money to save. The lights were dim and some flickered, it reminded her of a bad horror movie. The librarian as in the office going over the books and other paperwork. Ryan and the other pusher each had about seven carts of books to pus. She was on her second. She sighed. "Ryan Lark Siris, age seventeen, blonde hair, blue eyes, five foot eleven, and class I mermaid." Startled she turned around to see Chase Collin leaning casually against a bookshelf flipping carelessly through a book without the use of his hands.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Replacing the book he stepped towards. "Do you really need me to repeat?"

"No I'm just trying to figure out why you think I'm a mermaid?" She continued to place books on their proper shelves.

"C'mon, its not hard to figure out. You swim in the cove, even in the winter. And when you go under water sometimes you don't come up for air. The times that you go to the pool and don't come out for hours, even the swim team doesn't stay in there that long. Also, the fact that there is no history of Siris's in any history or lineage known to man. Only in legends. Now I know that the sons of Ipswich know, the real question is does Donovan?"

"Look, Chase, it's flattering that you think I'm a mermaid –" she let out a scream as she flew back against the far wall. He was in front of her within a second she hit it.

"Don't play with me Ryan." He lowered his hand. Panic finally set it. "I know you are. I've seen you drying that pale green tail of ours of. What are those brown stripes and marks? Scars perhaps? It that why you don't show off your magnificent body? Why not let people know what you are?" He took a good appreciative glance of her body.

"Let go." She heaved; it felt like a larger hand was crushing her rib cage. She could barely breathe. "It kills you , you know, the power is addictive and it sucks your life out."

"I know, unfortunately I found out too late. See I didn't have a boy scout club for this. I never knew, I don't care. What I do care about my dear siren is tat Donovan get you back. Games are over. You don't return to him like a good girl or your little boyfriend Garwin has a very unpleasant accident."

"Why?"

"Because, Donovan is an old friend. One who actually accepts the fact that I have these powers. Plus he's had his eye on you. If you would just submit like a nice girl you wouldn't get hurt."

"Bullshit." She hissed and struggled against the hold of the magic.

"Now darling, you shouldn't talk to men that way, it's not very ladylike."

Smiling, Chase began to back up. "Well I'll leave you two alone." He disappeared.

"Would you at least talk to me?"

"I can't Reid, I can't do this anymore." Ryan tried to sound angry, but she couldn't. Her words came out breathless and tired. Her body ached with the punches and words that Donovan inflicted on her two nights before. Bruises lined the side of her face, her lip busted, her forehead cut. She really was tired of all of this. She had to hurt him to protect him.

"What is this? Nothing has happened. You can't seriously turn your emotions off that quickly."

No, I can't, she thought, but I can fake it. "Donovan came back. He's promised that he's changed. I – well I believe him. It's nothing personal Reid."

"Bullshit." When she started to walk away he caught her arm and spun her around. "Tell me the truth Ryan."

"I just did." She shook her arm free. "I'm serious Reid, whatever was between us isn't there anymore. Goodbye." She had to get away before she actually broke down and ran to him. She tried to convince herself that this was for the best. That she was protecting him and the others.

At that moment she realized that she loved him. That she would do anything to protect his life force. Even succumbing to the one person who tried to break her in every way possible. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she understood for the first time what her mother and grandmother mean. She and Reid were lifemates, he may not realize it, but she did. The longing to be with him at all times of the day, the quick desire that shot through her body whenever someone mentioned his name. And the uncontrollable flare of jealousy whenever another girl touched him no matter if it was just a friendly gesture or not; and overtime their bond would only strengthen and if either of them didn't do anything about it, they would die, it would literally break both of their hearts.

"Grandma-ma, I need your help. I don't know what to do." She whispered. She blindly followed a path to the cliffs. The wind picked up, and whispers floated across leaves and branches, her name carried among them.

"I'm here, tell me what to do, please." Tears flooded down her face. Mist gathered and an unnatural fog rolled in from the coast. When it settled an elderly woman with waist long white hair stood in front of her. Her chiffon was a deep violet and grazed the ground, her feet bear. Gold bracelet encircled her slender wrists and seaweed acted as a belt. Despite her age, she was beautiful, graced with few wrinkles her skin was flawless and smooth, and eyes the color of storm clouds stared at her with clarity and understanding. "Ryan."

"Grandma-ma." Rushing forward and forgetting formalities Ryan encircled her grandmothers waist and hugged her tightly.

Shocked at first, the sea witch tightened her hold on her only granddaughter. "It's time Ryan."

"I'm not ready."

"You're more than ready dear. My bones can't take much more. But that is for later, what troubles you?" She sat on the rocks comfortably, folding her legs close to her body she watched as Ryan sat close and mimicked her position.

"Chase Collins. I fear for the Ipswich boys."  
"All of them, or one in particular."

"Both. I fear for Reid. I do – I don't want him to get hurt."

"They have their strengths. Your fear for them only strengthens them, they'll be fine."

You know the outcome, don't you?" When her grandmother didn't say anything Ryan made her own conclusion. "You do, tell me."

"You know I can not. And what of this Donovan. We were once rid of him were we not?"  
"He's back. Chase if I'm not with him Reid's pain will be great."

"Greater than a heart broken out of selfishness."

"I did it to protect him." She let her gaze fall.

"The easiest way to protect a loved one is by being truthful. Let fate decide the rest. Ryan." She placed a wrinkled hand under her chin to raised her gaze to meet her own. "Ryan your bond with this boy is strong, I feel it. There is more power between the two of you when you are together, then when apart. Lifemates are a tricky thing, and something that is not easily accepted. To be fully reliable and dependent on one person for the rest of your life is a hard thing. But it is our way, one in which can not be broken. Your bond will be strained and lost if you decide to continue to 'protect' him. Death is a far greater price to pay for a weeks protection. Both of your needs for each other will grow stronger each passing day.

Do you want to pay this price?"

"No. But I don't want him to get hurt either."

"Then it is indeed time."

"Grandma-ma not yet, What about our home, the nursery?"  
She sighed, Ryan was right. "Then do what is right by truth and love my dear. Donovan will get what is rightfully his in time. Now with all this magick business aside, how is your mother?"  
"Fine she missed home down there, and papa."

"I assure you he misses her as well. Soon they'll be able to be together. Very soon."

"That's good news. Is Reid really my lifemate? I mean he's not human, and he's not mer. He's so –"

"Wild? He's for you sweetie. You are his salvation, and he is your freedom. The fates like to put twists in life that not even I can foresee. Times are changing; old ways are no longer the law of our lands and seas. Though the elders wish it be the same. It is for the good, there's a war brewing my dear Ryan one in which none of us can escape. Not this time."

"I thought it was just a prophecy."

"It is not." The mist began to roll in again. "My time here is nearly over. You're stronger than you seem Ryan Lark. You'll discover your truth soon. Go to him and tell him the truth. Now come and kiss your poor old grandma goodbye."

She did and held tight. "I wish you would go. I miss you so."

"I know, soon we'll be together again. In the mean time." She placed an amulet made of pewter and amethyst around her neck. "It was my mothers and hers before her. Wear it proudly for it is a sign of your true heritage. I love you Ryan." Kissing her forehead she stepped back. "Look to the sea for your courage and to your heart for your strength. Let your powers hold true for what is to come." Stepping back into the mist she faded away. Nothing was left of the sea witch her grandmother but the amulet that hung around her neck.

"Mom I'm home."

"In here honey. How was your day?

"Lousy, I think I'm going to take a salt bath." She started to head upstairs, but her moms voice stopped her.

"Can you come here please?" Ryan walked to the living room.

"Yes mo-what the hell are you doing here?"

Chase Collins sat on the arm of their recliner. Her mother sat stiff on the couch, he looked impeccable she had to give him that. But the look in his eyes told her that he was close to crazy. "You see Ryan your mom and I were just talking about heritage."

"Just get out of our house. I'm pretty sure you can find your way out." She stood where she was arms crossed a scowl on her face.

"Ryan you really do need to calm down. If you would just do what you're told I wouldn't be here."

"I did what you told me. Reid is no longer apart of my life."

"And Donovan?  
"Should be in hell where he belongs."

"And by the way your face is in shape, he didn't take to that idea to well." He tsked her. "Ryan, Ryan, Ryan – you don't get it do you. There Is no greater power than me, you don't do what I say and everyone close to you dies." His voice grew hard, there was an edge to it that gave her chills. "Do you understand?"  
"Yes." Not my fault you're a crazed lunatic, she thought bitterly.

He stood in front of her. "do you really understand, because if you're toying with me we can have a demonstration starting with your mother."

"Leave her alone, ok. I get it. I'm not with Donovan she gets hurt. I'm around the Ipswich boys my family dies. I get it. Now get out."

Smirking he stood up slowly. "Not yet I think." Her mother began to shake uncontrollably and a blue spider pattern forming over her body.

Ryan stepped forward threateningly, "You bastard. Quit it, I get it ok, leave her be, do you not understand what your magic does to us?" The bruising and blue lines began to disappear, her mother sagged against the couch, passed out and Ryan hurried over. "Take all of it out."

When a small spider extracted itself from her mothers' ear and disappeared she felt relieved. "Just wanted to make sure you understand the full wrath." He smiled, and she felt disgusted. "Ryan do this and you're free from what comes to the rest." He bowed at the waist and walked out the front door. She stayed knelt by her mother, only getting up to fetch a wet towel to dab at the sweat that formed on her brow. She waited until she woke up two hours later.

"Ryan? Chase – he knows so does Donovan." She whispered.

"I know mum." She smiled weakly, "Grandma-ma say hello, she and papa miss you."


	11. Chapter 10

It was the day before Caleb turned 18 and was suppose to ascend while the rest of the school was off at the fall dance. Caleb was suppose to will his powers to Chase, Ryan was suppose to agree to stay with Donovan for all of eternity, and the rest of the world was suppose to slide blindly on by.

They had a plan though. Ryan gave them that, she didn't know if it would work, but they at least had a plan. She didn't want to go to the dance, but Donovan was making her go. She didn't even have a dress, how was she supposed to go if she didn't have a dress. And she didn't want to hurt Reid even more by the fact that she was there with the person she had sworn she would never be with. She wanted to be with Reid, she wanted to be wrapped in his arms, and she wanted him to kiss her again. She wanted to give herself to him willingly. There was magic between them, there always would be, they were lifemates, and nothing could destroy it but death.

She sighed, even with the stress of the dance and finding a dress haunting her mind, nothing entrap her more than the dreams she was having about the outcome of tonight, most weren't good. She also noticed that the electricity would start to flicker whenever she got close to a power source. The skin on the back of her neck kept peeling and itching, and as well as her left wrist, and she didn't understand because they were usually hidden under her hair or layers of clothing so no sun could touch it. And her eyes kept going cloudy, she couldn't explain what was happening, but she had an idea that it was what her grandmother was talking about with her powers.

That night she picked through her limited wardrobe for something that was decent enough to wear to the prestigious fall dance. She didn't find anything. She didn't even own a dress, let along have time to go shop for one. She didn't even want to go. Groaning she flopped on the bed. When did life become so complicated? When she heard a knock on her door she rolled over and promptly ignored it. Dozing off she dreamt of red roses and a green dress.

Reid left her door with his head hung low and his fists clenched, she was probably off parading around with her boyfriend. He thought she was over him, something was up, and he had an idea of who was behind it, but without the proof he didn't want to do anything that would cause her more problems. He growled. He wanted to hit something – hard. There was no point for him to go to the dance anymore, he wanted to go with her, but with her going with Donovan he knew that he would get in trouble for trying to interfere and protect her.

Entering his room he lay on his bed and looked out the window. It was raining, something that had been going on for the past three weeks. When all of this started, there had been almost no sunshine. Once this night was over he would be able to get her back. He would be able to put Donovan in his rightful spot, hopefully under a rock somewhere, where no one would look for him – maybe at the bottom of the ocean.

"Ryan wake up." She felt the hand shaking her but she didn't want to ever wake up. when she was awake she was weak, but she so strong in her dreams, almost nothing could stop her. "Ryan get up, its past two-thirty you've slept long enough."

"Go away." She mumbled, she could give a rats ass on whether or not she slept the entire day. She was not going to get up out of the bed. "Don't even think about it."

Amy stood poised over with a cup of water in her hand, she was about to pour it on her roommate when Ryan told her not to. She was as quiet as she could be, how did she know what she was about to do? "Do what?"

"Pour that water on me." She kept her eyes closed, her face buried in the crook of her arm so that all light was ejected from her presence.

"How did you know that I was going to do that?" Amy asked genuinely perplexed, she looked at Sara who shrugged; she thought it would be a good idea if the water was poured on Ryan.

Looking up finally, she saw that Amy did indeed have a cup of water in her hand, and that Amy looked confused and a little scared. "I don't know." She sighed, this whole seeing the future was getting on her nerves.

"I doesn't matter, its almost three o'clock in the afternoon, you're in the clothes that you were yesterday and you're not even starting to get ready for tonight." Sara told her, tugging on Ryan's foot. "Up and adam."

"I'm not going."

"You have to go. We all know what happens when you disobey Donovan." Amy said in disgust.

"Yes well I don't have a dress. So therefore I can't really go anywhere, now can I? Though I really wouldn't mind going to this dance in sweats and a hoodie."

"Yeah that won't happen."

She raised an eyebrow at the two in front of her. "Why should I go? It's not like anything good will happen out of it."

Amy looked at her with confidence, "No, you're going because I have a feeling after tonight Donovan won't be apart of anyone's life anymore."

"You don't know that."

"You're right, but one can always hope." Hope was a long ways down the road with several obstacles in the way. The way Ryan saw it the last thing she needed was hope, she needed a miracle. "You're going, besides whoever sent you this dress can't wait to see you." Sara nodded in agreement and held up a jade green gown.

"Where did it come from?" She said in awe, she couldn't help but stare at it. "Who is it from? Who is it for?"

"It was in front of the door, it's for you. And its from, well one can only guess." Sara smirked, and held up an envelope. "There's a note." She handed it to Ryan, who proceeded to rip it open.

Wear this tonight, it matches you demeanor. Meet me tonight by the clock tower 15 past 11, I'll be waiting.

P.s. you'd be gorgeous in sweats and a t-shirt, do this for me,

"Who is it from?" Amy asked.

"No idea, it's not Donovan, he wouldn't send me this type of dress, and it is not Reid's handwriting." Ryan shrugged, as she still admired the dress.

"This was tied to the front." Sara held up a fully bloomed violet rose, there was a black satin ribbon tied to its stem. On the ribbon white words curled and curved and said 'Bring me, tough it doesn't do them justice, it made me think of your eyes.' "You've got an admirer." Ryan gawked at Sara. "What?"

"I don't need this now, not with everything thats happening." She sat back on the bed and let her head fall into her hands, she suddenly began to cry. She didn't want another person to get hurt because of her stubbornness.

Sara and Amy stared at each other, neither knowing what to do. They had never seen Ryan cry before, to let down her walls to show so much emotion. They were lost. Amy sat next to her rubbing her back in soothing patterns, while Sara sat on the floor and patted her knee and held her hand, occasionally offering her the towel that had been thrown on the floor so she could blow her nose and wipe her face. No one said a word, but then again no one had to. Half an hour later Ryan wiped the last of her tears away and looked up. Amy smiled tentatively at her, "You do know that you can finish this."

"How?"

"After tonight – Chase, if it work, he won't have control anymore. He won't have any power of you. Look to the sea for your courage if it helps."

Startled Ryan stared at Amy, "What did you say?"

"Look to the sea for your courage?"

"Yeah, where did you hear that from?"

"I don't know. Why?"  
She shrugged, "It just sounds familiar, that's all." Look to your heart for strength, let your powers hold true for what is to come.

"It's the truth, you've always been more comfortable in water, when we go to the drop off you're more open, more peaceful."  
"Come on it's time to get ready. Whoever you're dressing for is going to die and go to heaven. We just have to do something with your hair."

"My hair?" She ran her fingers through her long tresses


	12. Chapter 11

She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, she played with her hair, it was shorter, she hadn't realized how long it had gotten since the beginning of the year – she always kept it up out of her face. Now it was to her chin and curled regally under and around her face. It was simple, not a lot of fuss to it, she loved it. Donovan would hate it, he hated short hair, and actually he pretty much hated anything that went against what was drilled into his brain at a young age. But, if she was going to do this she was to need every ounce of strength in her. She touched her grandmother's amulet, when she did it shine from within, staring at it she felt her wrist and back of neck started to itch and burn. "What the hell?" she looked at her hand and found an intricate pattern form, she gaped – not now, she groaned inwardly and turned to look at her shoulder and groaned again.

Reid ran to the bathroom his hip felt as though something was clawing its way through to the surface of his skin. It had been itching and peeling for the past three weeks but he didn't understand, so he naturally ignored it. Slamming the door shut he removed his pants in record time, inching his boxers down he stared at what was moving over his skin. He nearly screamed as ink seemed to boil up from under his skin to form an intricate phoenix and triquetra design. "Shit," it burned like hell, he thought. He had tattoos but none were as painful as this one. The only good thing was that it was over in a matter of minutes and when it was done it was no larger the bottom of a Campbell's soup can. He had no idea what it meant, or where it came from all he knew was that it appeared out of now where and had to deal with some sort of magic. He couldn't think of it now, he had a busy night ahead of him. They all did. When he heard the doorbell he composed himself, fixed his clothing and met Caleb and Tyler in the living room with Caleb's mother. Sara came down the not ten minutes later and as Mrs. Danvers tied a ribboned necklace around her neck they talked of what was to come.

No one like what was going to happen, especially Mrs. Danvers, it was evident in her eyes. But what other choice did they have, no one knew they existed but a handful of ordinary people and Caleb wouldn't accept any sort of help. In reality as much as he was pissed that Caleb was the first to ascend, Reid was relieved because Caleb was a natural leader. He would never admit it verbally, but he knew it mentally and so did the others. None of them could keep their cool like Caleb, not even Tyler. Hell, Reid couldn't even keep his cool when the girl he loved was with the prick of the century. He shook his head, did he just think love? Did he truly love Ryan?

"Reid let's go." Following them to Tyler's Hummer, he thought of her.

Tucking the rose behind her ear, she bobby pinned it to her air. She looked at herself one last time. She was being daring, at least as daring as she could be without being uncomfortable, she felt different, she liked the changes that were made to her skin. The phoenix and triquetra tattoo was low enough on her neck that it was still visible to whoever looked, it was still a little red and puckered away from the surrounding skin like a bad scar, she hoped it went down. Looking at her wrist she saw that it was the same puckering but the tattoo wasn't just on around her wrist it went up to her elbow. The same elaborate tribal designs of lotus flowers and sea animals wound its way from the base of her thumb to the tip of her elbow. She noticed that it was the same one that her grandmother had. She ran her fingers over it when there was a knock on her door. Wondering who it was since she told Donovan that she would meet him at the front of the school, she answered it.

"You ruined your hair." Those were the first words out of Donovan's mouth, as he stared at his dates face.

"Sara cut my hair, and it's not ruined I like it." She tensed as his eyes ran over her body. He noticed that the only jewelry that she wore was the chunky amulet around her neck as well as small amethyst and silver studs in her ears.

"You look alright I guess too much skin and your hair is not appropriate, and I do hope you're going to take the ridiculous necklace off before we leave?" He asked her, before finally noticing the tattoo. "What the hell is that around your arm? He grabbed her wrist. "You dare defile me like this; I will not have my girlfriend mark her body with whorish symbols!" He roared.

Snatching her wrist back, she turned her eyes up to him, anger flaring through her, the lights flickered. "It would be best to remember that I am only your girlfriend because of Chase, if he did not pose a threat to not only my family, but to my friends as well you would not be here." She drilled a manicured finger into his chest. "And these markings are that of my people, it is an honor to have them, and for you to call them whorish shows how very little you truly know about me or where I come from."

"You dare speak to me like that?"

She scoffed at him. "Yes, get off your high horse Donovan."

He raised his hand to strike her, but thought better of it. He knew it would not look good if he showed up to the school party with a bloodied date. "We'll talk about this later. We're late now. Try to please me tonight with your good behavior and I may forget about this incident."

Reid and Tyler stood on the front steps of the school Tyler was talking to Caleb and Sara was between them. Reid was watching for a certain blonde as well as Chase. He saw Donovan and nearly buckled at the knees at who was on his arm. The dress fit her like a glove; the color was perfect for her skin tone. Her back was almost completely bare except for the two bands of jade green silk that twisted around each other. Letting his gaze drop lower he saw that the rest of the dress began just above the curve of her butt. He nearly howled at the moon. "She looks great doesn't she?"

Turning to his left he looked at Sara, "She's the most beautiful woman here, no offense." He turned his attention back to Ryan just in time to see her turn to face them. She smile tentatively at him before waving at Sara, who waved back. The front of the dress was simple, it was as tight as a bodice and bunched together to slim her waist even more, the top curved over her breasts and gave everyone an ample view of cleavage, he saw an amulet hang between the top valley of them. The rest of the gown flowed to the ground and the only showing of her leg was the mid thigh high slit on the left side. He saw black markings on her left forearm and nearly ran to her when he saw that it was a tattoo. He pulled at his pants and tie, both becoming exceedingly uncomfortable as he watched her be dragged inside.

"Yeah hold on, she's right he –dude I swear she was right here." Focusing back on the present he looked next to him.

"Where's Sara?" He asked Tyler.

"I don't know. Caleb – Caleb?" The clock began to toll eleven and both of the boys looked at it. "Happy Birthday Caleb."

"This night can't get any better." Reid mumbled. They both went inside. Plans tended to change, if they couldn't protect Sara, then they would protect Ryan, whether or not she wanted it.


	13. Chapter 12

Ryan stood patiently beside Donovan, wondering how she ever believed that he was the one for her. Sea witch or not she did not know enough about her powers to try anything, and to disobey Donovan meant death for her family and her friends. She ground her teeth mad at herself because she was too afraid to try anything. She knew that with her age she would be able to tell what was to come, at least the possible outcomes of what was to come. She didn't like some of them, yet she couldn't tell anyone.

She stared at his profile as he talked to some of his so called friend, and wondered. She wondered if he actually really had any friends that weren't interested in his money. Did he have anyone that he could just relax on a couch and watch a football game drinking beer in his pajamas? Did he even relax? She doubted it. What did she ever see in him? He was overly stuffy, ever so proper except behind closed doors, he wanted a submissive trophy wife, and was overbearing with the fact that he had more money than anyone. He also would rather sit in a country club then get his manicured hand dirty with any sort of work. She had a feeling that if she had stayed with him, he would cheat on her and the sex would be quite boring.

What did I see in him? She thought with disgust. She glanced around the room and stopped on a certain paled hair boy. She gave a slight nod, and he smiled, than disappeared into the crowd. "Donovan, what is that ghastly thin on her arm?" Gretchen asked.

"Unfortunately Ryan decided to mar her skin with that of tattoos." Donovan stated with repugnance.

"Better than the scars you mar me with." She mumbled, earning a hard pinch on her hip, she winced. "Excuse me; I'm going to get a drink." She hurried away before anything else happened. She snagged a drink from one of the bar tenders and escaped to the patio. She shivered from the cool air; she leaned against the smooth metal of the railing and shivered again.

A jacket was placed over her shoulders and hands held it there, she knew who it was before they spoke. "Reid."

"No matter how lost you look, you're still beautiful." He turned her around and did a once over.

She looked up at him and smiled slightly, before it turned to a frown. "I definitely can not say that I made a bad choice in the dress or the flower." He toyed with the curls of her hair and brushed the flower lightly.

"It was you?" he nodded and laughed lightly, he was pleased that she was so shocked, her eyes sparkled.

"I'm not the asshole that you think I am, Ryan." He cupped her cheek. "I can't seem to get you out of my head, you're like a damn toxin to me." He dipped his head low.

"Reid –" His lips brushed hers, once, twice, and a final third time before he stood straight again.

"You know you should never kiss another man girlfriend. Ryan, you know what will happen now don't you?"

Ryan stared over Reid's shoulder at Donovan, his arms were crossed smugly across his chest. Her eyes narrowed at him, she felt Reid tense before he turned around and planted himself in front of her. "How cute, no matter what you do blondie you can't win. You won't. Ryan come here."

"She's not a piece of livestock. Nothing will happen, not if I can help it." Reid stated confidently. He was sick and tired of this piece of shit trying to control her. "You know nothing about her."

"I don't need to. You're just like her; a nobody. You may have a trust fun Garwin, but you're just a bum and will never amount to anything just like your father." That had Reid clenching his fists, but he calmed down because he thought of the truth. Donovan knew nothing about his father or his family. "And you, Ryan my dear, are nothing but a common girl who will never be anything without the likes of me. But this whole mermaid thing could prove to be useful." He smiled at her.

Reid stepped forward to shut him up, but Ryan got in his way. "Don't" She turned to Donovan and Reid saw the phoenix and triquetra tattoo on her neck, he gasped. She threw a look over her shoulder and simply said "I'll explain later." She then turned her fury on the boy that stood in front of her. "You, I've had it up to here with you. You came into my life expecting things, things that I didn't want to give you. And I let you physically and emotionally abuse me all these years. Not anymore, damn the consequences, not anymore. I will not be some sick experiment so you can fill your bank account to the brim. I don't belong to you, I never did. I let you break me, but thanks to some great friends I've mended. I won't let you abuse me any longer or anyone else.

"You dare – " he was actually speechless, "after everything that I've done for you?"  
"What have you done for me?" She yelled. "Bruises, fractures, concussions. You've given me nothing but pain. The only thing I thank you for is showing me who you truly are. I want you out of my life Donovan for good." Reid smiled behind her, rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, gave him a small smile and without words they began to walk away.

Donovan grabbed her arm and immediately let go jumping back. Shaking his hand he saw the red angry welts form, like he was burned. "What did you do?"

"I shocked you. I don't want you touching me. Touch me again and I'll do more than give you a few blisters." She turned back to Reid. "I'm so sorry –"

He couldn't be mad at her, as much as he wanted to, the look in her eyes said it all, that she meant every word. "We'll figure it out. Come on." He held out his hand, and she took it. It was the first sign that she trusted him. They were almost out of sight when something hit them on the back of the head and pitched them forward. She shook her head and cleared her sight. The headache was already forming as she looked over at Reid, she felt the back of his head and when she pulled her hand way she felt the warm slick sensation of blood. She started to rise when something came down on her back, hard. She fell flat again after crying out.

Her head was wrenched back as a hiss of a whisper filled her ear. "I told you that if I can't have you no one will." She threw back an elbow and was satisfied enough when it connected with his body. When he let go she pushed herself to her knees and then stood up.

"You're a coward Donovan." She spit the dirt out of her mouth. "You always were, because you have to resort to violence to get your way. I'm not a piece of livestock." She said through clenched teeth. She did not know enough about her powers to use them on him.

"Then I'll kill you."

"Then kill me." She stood at her full height. "But be a fucking man about it."

"Oh I will." He wrapped his fingers around her throat. "Man enough for you darling?" He started to squeeze, she clutched his wrists digging her nails in, and kicked her legs.

"Let her go." Came a voice behind them. Donovan turned his head and stared at the new comer. Tyler walked closer, calculating his steps and rolling the sleeves to his dress shirt up. His jacket already discarded on the floor.

"Stay out of this boy." Not sooner were the words out of his mouth did he catch his breath as one of Ryan's flailing kicks caught him in the groin. He loosened his grip enough for her to break it. It gave Tyler enough time to take charge and tackle him. Both fell to the ground in a grapple. Ryan coughed and looked at Read as she stumbled over to his unconscious body. She heard their grunts and yells, but she was only focused on him.

"God, please be ok." She would change this if she could. If she only knew how. Ryan, think, come on, think, she thought. Healing spells. She knew nothing about them but she knew that they were part of her now. He's a warlock though, she berated herself. She didn't know what effect that they would have on him. She groaned when her eyes went fuzzy and she saw snapshots of her healing. Her hand over his chest; the light that emitted from them, her falling. Shaking her head she did exactly what she saw. She placed her hand over his chest and thought about his injuries, about absorbing them into her body. She felt the headache first, the slow throbbing at the back of her head. She finally felt weak and dizzy, her eyes blurry she sank to the ground

Reid felt heavy; he opened his eyes slowly only to see Ryan's close. Her body bruised and battered. He had gotten hit in the head, yet he didn't feel anything. He ran a hand over the back of his scalp and didn't feel a bump or blood. He heard Tyler. "You son of a bitch, give up. She's not yours." When did he get here? How long was he out?

"She's mine, always. Chase promised." He watched as Donovan threw another punch that Tyler blocked and countered.

"Chase is a sociopath." Reid walked up to them and when Donovan saw that he was there Reid punched him in the stomach.

"My turn." Was all he said. Tyler back off respectively.

"Wait where is Ryan? You were – now she's –man this is so messed up." Reid only pointed. He groaned as he staggered to where Ryan laid crumpled in the grass. He felt for injuries and found that she had none. "Well there's something new" He mumbled to himself, he was watching the fight when a glint caught his eye. Looking down he saw her amulet resting against the hollow of her throat, touching it shone bright. "Mrs. Siris your daughter –" Next thing he knew was that he was in the living room of Ryan's home. A woman with black hair and blue eyes stood in front of him with a baseball bat in her hands. When she saw Ryan she immediately dropped it.

"Ryan!" She rushed forward and took her daughter from the boy. Holding her to her chest she looked to the sea and murmured. "Mama I need you." When the blue-grey mist filled the room Tyler stepped back.

Reid saw the flash of light and when he looked both Tyler and Ryan were gone. Focusing his frustration and rage on the boy in front of him; the bastard refused to give up. Now Reid was pinned against a tree as red rage filled Donovans' veins. No one will have her, she was his. "Give it up." He told Reid in a growl.

"Never, what do you care about one girl anyways? She's a no one, remember?"

"She's everything. She belongs to me. She always has."

"Belonging to someone is about five centuries to late." He brought his knee up and pushed him away. "She wants to be with someone who doesn't abuse her. Someone who loves her for who and what she is." He three a couple jabs to his ribs and a right hook to Donovans' jaw. "Apparently you don't fit that mold."

"Chase said –"He blocked another punch, and took one to the kidneys. His nose was bleeding, as was his eyebrow and probably various other body parts. Now he was desperate not to look like a weakling.

"News flash Chase lies." He stood back and looked down at Donovan who had slid to the floor. His fists were still clenched. "Pussy. You don't even deserve her." Satisfied that it was over for good he grabbed Tyler's jacket and ran.

"I don't know what happened. When I got there Reid was unconscious and Donovan was choking her. I got him to change his focus from her to me and she went to Reid who after about twenty minutes was uninjured and told me to take care of her. Ryan went comatose on me."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.

"She absorbed his injuries. Its one of the gifts that was passed down. Unfortunately I can no long do anything about it. She has to heal on her own now."

Tyler looked at them dumbfounded. "I don't understand."

"Until she heals boyo she stays in her coma like state. Reid injuries must have been more substantial than she thought."

"Where is she? Where's Ryan?"


	14. Chapter 13

*** I know it's been a really long time that I've updated the story and I want to apologize for that, I lost my main jumpdrive that holds pretty much my life's work on it, luckily i had a backup of this on my comp. The next two chapters are up. I think the story is almost done but we shall see what will happen. Thanks, MK***

Reid came crashing through the door, not even bothering to care that he was trailing mud in onto the carpet. He stood there in front of all of them bloodied and bruised. He saw an unconscious Ryan on the floor her mother cradling her head in her lap a white bandaged wrapped around her head. There were several other bruises and small cuts that were apparent on her arms. "Ryan?" She was still wearing the dress from the dance. He looked at the tattoo that wound itself to her elbow. Then at the faces that stared at him.

"She'll be unconscious for awhile. But she's very much alive, you owe her your life young man." The eldest stated.

"What are you talking about?"

"Reid," Tyler came and laid a hand on his shoulder. "She stole your injuries."

"What? Why?"

"My only guess is that she loves you very much. Especially, since she has not had any training. Do you have a tattoo somewhere on you that just appeared?"

His face paling he nodded. "On my hip, it showed up tonight."

"Addie –" Gwen stated in disbelief. "I didn't think –"

"Oh it's possible dearie. Fate has a funny way of twisting things around." She turned her attention back to Reid. "Your feelings for my granddaughter are strong, yes?"  
Reid didn't say anything for a moment. Yeah he had feelings for Ryan, but he didn't know what type, or how strong. "I don't know. What does that ha –"

Adelaide held her hand up to silence him. "Let me finish," sitting next to Ryan and Gwen she stroked her cheek and then the tattoo on her forearm. "You and Ryan are lifemates. Your bond is strong, as is your love when you fully accept it and when it fully matures. Ryan took my place tonight as the next sea witch, my time is done and something tonight triggered her powers to unlock. As well as something triggered the mark on your hip and her neck to appear. I will not go into the rest because you both need to decide if this is what you want."

"And if we don't?"

"Inevitably you both will go crazy for the most part. No one will ever appeal to you physically. She will no longer be able to bear children. You will be impotent. It's not pretty, but it is the way of our people."

He narrowed his eyes on her. He didn't like his fate decided by anyone. "I'm not your people."

"You may not be. But you're tied to her now. You're what she needs. I've seen your future without her. As I've seen snidbits of it with her. It's your decision. But boy take my price and swallow your pride."

He blew out a breath and stuck his hands in his pockets. He looked at Tyler who did nothing but shrug a shoulder. "Look, Ryan's' a great girl, but, she made her choice."

Adelaide looked at Gwen and laughed. "Oh I could box his ears. Do you believe him, trying to fool an old sea witch? I still have enough of my powers to knock some sense into you. But it is not my place. This is between you and her. My time here is done." She stood and ran a hand over Gwen's' hair, then patted her cheek. "Honey you look well. He misses you though. When Ryan wakes I'll be waiting for her, she's got a lot to learn."

"Yes mama."

She turned her eyes on the two half men in front of her. One stood with his arms across his chest a scowl on his face. The other looked as though he just discovered the truth to the biggest secret in the world. "And you two. Tyler stay close to your brothers, what you seek will come. And Reid don't break my granddaughters heart, look inside your heart. Pride ruins what the heart desires." The mist came again and when it settled she was gone.

Reid carried Ryan to her room and laid her on her bed. He looked around the room and saw so much of her in the simple drawings on the wall, the numerous bookshelves that were nearly splitting the shelves they were so laden with books. Her mother came in behind them. "You boys need to go back to Caleb's; I'll call when she wakes."

"I'm not going anywhere." Was Reids reply.

"You'll be needed at Caleb's."

Tyler tugged on his arm. "Come on, we'll come back later. When your head is cleared." When he didn't budge, Tyler dragged him out the front door.

Once they were gone she carried her daughter to the bathroom. She did not cry. "Ryan, come back to me please." She filled it with salt water and removed the dress from her body. Placing Ryan in the tub she watched as her body transformed to her natural body. She sat and waited.

"I wanted to stay."

"There was nothing that you could've done dude. Leave it, we'll come back tomorrow."

"Fuck that" He turned and started to walk back to the house.

"Reid." Tyler yelled and got in front of his friend. "Calm down. It does nothing to get pissed because of something that happened."

Reid pushed Tyler, "She's not suppose to be like that. I am!" He yelled. "I was supposed to protect her." His mind flashed to where he watched her eyes close when he woke up. Watched as her features paled and her body took his injuries. "She wasn't supposed to be in a damn coma."

"It's going to be fine. Look I don't believe in this whole lifemate business, but if it's true, you two are it for each other. And how you're acting now proves it." Sighing he scrubbed his hands over his face and started to walk again. "Let's just get back to Caleb's and wait this out."

"Yeah sure." Reid followed, too unsure as to what would happen.

A week passed, and then a second before there was any change in Ryan's' state. Gwen stayed by tub everyday for a week, never letting anyone in. She ignored Reid, Tyler, and Caleb; along with Sara, Kate, and Amy. No one came in, and she didn't leave unless she was hungry. But, even then food didn't matter, and she ate very little. On that second week the cuts and bruises were gone, there was no sign of any attack. "Ryan you need to wake up. There's not much more I can take honey." She laid a hand on her forehead, color was returning, occasionally her tail would flinch. Her daughter was very much alive, she was just in a deep sleep. Looking at the clock she saw it was past two in the morning. Putting her head in her hands she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Reid paced his room, it had been two weeks, he thought. She wasn't awake; if she wasn't awake then she might as well be dead. He stopped and shook his head. Dead was not what he wanted. Simple enough. He groaned, he would go over there and see her for himself. Fall break was coming up; maybe he would see if she wanted to go some place warm. Secluded. So she could be herself.

He really did like when she was a mermaid, he smiled and remembered when they were in the cave. Grabbing his coat he ran out of the dorms to his car. During the drive over there he thought of places they could go. She'd say yes, he knew she would. Especially now with Donovan across the country in California there was no reason for her to be afraid. And now hopefully they could start a new relationship and see where it brought them. He actually researched lifemates. If they chose they could forfeit it and become impotent or they could have the greatest love and the promise of one wife, one husband til death. Or if death was brought early they would be free at the expense of one of their lives. He was certain, as he pulled in front of her house, that neither would kill each other to be free of the other.

The grass needed to be mowed, and the lawn raked. Trees needed branches trimmed and bushes needed to be pruned. Limbs from the last big storm littered the roof and lawn. If it weren't for the lights in the window he'd be certain the house was deserted. He walked to the door and knocked. When there was no answer, he knocked again and waited. When no one answered the second time he opened the door himself. "Mrs. Siris? Hello?" he called out. Damn woman, she was here he knew it. He walked up the stairs. "Mrs. Siris? Ryan?" he called again. They weren't in the bedrooms, he looked in the bathroom and they were both in there. Ryan was in the tub in her mermaid form. Gwen sleeping, her head resting against the sink counter. Ryan's tail was almost glowing it seemed, and no brown spots were to be seen, so he guessed all the scars were gone for good. She would be happy about that. He went to the tub and quietly shook her mom awake. "It's just me, Ms. Siris, its Reid Garwin." He saw her eyes register and she sat up fully. She looked at Ryan.

"I was so hopeful." She murmured, looking up at Reid who just stared at her unconscious daughter, yes fate, she decided, had a funny sense of humor. "What are you doing here Reid?"


	15. Chapter 14

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Ryan?"

"She's over in the history section. Please don't do anything to upset her, she's been through a lot and she won't take a day off." The librarian sounded disappointed about that. The fact that someone wouldn't take a day off usually appalled people.

He smiled at her. That was Ryan for you, he thought. But she tougher than she looks, and she doesn't give up that easily. He made his way to where history was held and saw her teetering on a ladder an arm loaded with books that needed to be placed in their proper place. After two months nothing changed, besides the tattoo on her arm and her hair which she now kept short, and he saw black streaks in it. She still hid in her clothes and in books, he noted. He chuckled lightly. "Well look who it is."

Startled she almost fell backwards; the ladder teetered before settling back against the shelving, she held the rung with a white knuckled grip. Turning to give whom ever startled her a tongue lashing that they deserved, she looked down and smiled. "Caleb!" She half slid, half climbed down to hug him.

Laughing he hugged her back, "Hey there, I've got good news."

"I know, Chase is gone, and though he's not dead, he not a problem to any of us for awhile. And Donovan is in Jail, drunk driving and possession of narcotics."

Staring at her he shook his head. "I don't think I'm going to get use to that any time soon."

She chuckled, "I'm not use to it either, but its nice to know what I can and cant do now." She smiled at him. "How is everyone?"

"Don't you know?" he teased.

She shook her head. "I don't look into friend and families. Its not nice, and its hazy, too many possibilities, it gives me a headache."

Clearing his throat he sat on the ground and flipped idly through a random book. She continued to put books in their proper place. "Pogue and Kate are better. They still argue, but after what happened it's toned down. He still gets jealous, but she's working on him. Sara is still researching our history and yours now. They both know. Figured it out, somehow" He grinned, obviously pleased with his girlfriend figuring everything out. And being okay with it. "I'm supposed to take her up the bluff today, if the weather holds. Tyler is still same old Tyler, he's feeling left out, and trying to understand what your grandmother meant. Baby boy wants his own relationships, its driving him crazy. Other than that classes are the same, everyone else is the same, the only one who's really changed is you."

"I really haven't changed all that much."

"Yes you have. The tattoos, the hair cut. Your attitude. The only thing that hasn't changed is the fact that you still hide behind books and clothing."

Frowning she looked around. "It's what I'm most comfortable in." She shrugged.

"It's ok. It's not a bad thing." They lapsed into a comfortable silence. She finished up the aisle while he sat and read.

"What about Reid?" She whispered.

Looking up startled, Caleb met her questioning look. "He's a recluse to say the least. He can't seem to get over what happened, he doesn't date, barely eats. All he does is homework, sleep and swim. He misses you. Part of me believe that he needs you."

"I'm not ready to face him. He's not ready to face me. Not yet. He also needs to face himself."

"Come on Ryan, it's Reid. When does Reid ever do anything the way that its suppose to be."

"I know. Look he has four months. I'm heading south for summer, with my family. I've got things to take care of, regardless of Reid or not." She looked down at him and saw him scowling. "Don't give me that look. I have responsibilities now Caleb. Far greater than that of a boy who's depressed because I disappeared for awhile." She walked to the next aisle and began to push books.

"I know I just wish that you would make the first move."

"It his choice, I've already accepted it."

"It?"

"He didn't tell you?" She was shocked, she was sure that he would've told everyone by now.

"Tell me –" he urged her to go on, handing her a book.

"Do you know what life mates are?"

"No." Taking a deep breath she launched into a explanation on how lifemates and soul mates were similar in many aspects but different in others. She told him of the dangers and the possibilities; of the love that they could have of the heartache and insanity that could come from it. He asked question when he needed to, and she answered them with far greater knowledge on the subject that she thought she had. Within thirty minute he understood completely.

"Well that would explain his temper."

"It's Reid though he's always had that temperament." She said with a roll of her eyes.

He laughed lightly "Yes but more now than ever. Will you be back after the summer? Or will you be gone for good?"

Her eyes grew sad when she looked at him. "If he doesn't accept me, I'll stay a mermaid until I die."

"What about the next sea witch?"

"I'm the last of my kind. My grandmothers' line for our clan is the only one with the genetics. If I don't have children, then I will be the last." Tears gathered in her eyes. "Damn boy, it he rejects me, I'll kill him, I want to be a mother someday. I want my line to continue."

He patted her shoulder. "Well for the both of you I hope he chooses you. Are you almost done here?"

"Nearly."

"Want to show everyone you're alive and well.

"Sure, how'd you know?"

"I have my ways. Plus your mother asked if I could check on you."

She laughed. "You wouldn't be spying on me would you?"

"Never."

"Caleb – " She warned

"Ryan –" He smiled, "I'm joking, I'm responsible with my charge. Your mother told me, she keeps me in the loop. I'm like your very own body guard."

"Not anymore you aren't, I'm my own body guard."

"Right, want to test it?" He asked teasingly, "Kidding again. But in all seriousness be careful. We're here for you. All of us. You don't need to hide anymore."

"I know." She whispered, he turned to leave when she called out to him. "Caleb, thank you. And if Reid doesn't accept our bond he'll go crazy and for him it won't be good. I've peeked; he'll be dangerous, in more of the outcomes and dead in several others."

His face darkening Caleb stared at her. She didn't like the outcome either, but it was one that they would all have to accept and figure out the solution to when and if it came to that. "Well for both our sakes, I pray he chooses the right way. See you in a bit." He turned again and began to walk away.

"Where?" She called out

"You already know." He waved and disappeared. Laughing Ryan realized that she did in fact know.

They met at Niki's. Reid was dragged out of his room by the hood of his sweatshirt. He didn't want to be here, he wanted to be away from people. They had already got their food when he finally gave in and realized that no one was going to be taken him home anytime soon. He could walk home, he thought until his stomach growled and decided that he needed food more than the walk back to campus. Everyone but Caleb and him were playing foosball, and Caleb was looking around as though he was waiting for someone.

"Dude, stop it, you look crazy." He tossed a fry in his mouth and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing.

He thought that she'd be here already; guess she wasn't going to come after all. "Sorry," He then laughed randomly at the rest of their group as the game ended and Sara came to drag him to the make shift dance floor. A random girl and dragged Reid to the floor as 'I love Rock n' Roll' came on. He danced with her like any other time, but she did nothing to him. Usually the way that girls moved their hips and ground into his turned him on, but not anymore. No matter what he did nothing turned him on anymore, unless they were thoughts of Ryan. And since she was no where to be seen he was a lost cause. The song was nearly over when someone interrupted, he knew the fragrant that the person wore and thought it was a trick his brain was playing on. Turning to tell who ever it was to go away he tripped over his tongue.

"Can I cut in?" She asked.

"N –"before the girl that was currently attached to his arm could finish a word she was pushed away and Reid dragged Ryan into his arms. It took all his strength not to kiss her, not to run his hands over her entire body to make sure she wasn't a figment of his imagination.

"Are you real?"

Laughing, she smiled at him. "Very real. Hi Reid." Her hair was short, but her face was the same. She still seemed to have the same body. No scars were visible on her arms or neck or face. Her eyes were the same color that same blue color that reminded him of the ocean and of who she really was. Throwing all caution to the wind he cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. Her hands gripped his waist and she kissed him back. He nibbled on her bottom until she opened up and he could explore her mouth with his tongue. They dueled, and when they both pulled back they were out of breath. He rested his forehead on hers and breathed deep. "Hey Ryan." A weight lifted off his chest and breathed easier having her there in her arms. "Where have you been? It's been –"

"Two months, almost three. But, who's really been counting?"

The song ended and they stood face to face. Ryan dropped her hands and Reid found them, he inhaled her scent and found that it relaxed him. She smelt of the sea and flowers. "I did," he admitted quietly.

"I would've come back eventually, I'm yours Reid." She whispered. She breathed the word she hid from everyone. "I'm yours, lifemate or not. I have been since you beat Donovan up the first time, since the cave. I was just scared."

He smirked, and it soon turned into a full fledged smile. "I knew you couldn't resist me."

She punched his shoulder. "Hey it's the truth, and you know it." She mumbled under her breath and he did nothing but laugh. He could've sworn that she called him a bastard. She didn't look amused, she looked pissed. She pulled away from him and walked outside. He followed concerned. "Ryan – I was just trying to –"

Before he could register what was happening her lips were pressed to his. He groaned and pushed her against the wall. Her hands were in his hair and his were on her hips fingertips digging into flesh. Her tongue stroked his and Ryan thought that he sighed.

After a series of coughs and clearing of throats they reluctantly pulled apart and looked at the intruders. "Take that glare off your face Reid. It's best to have sex behind closed doors, not in the open." Pogue stated.

"You wouldn't want to get arrested." Sara added, smiling. Ryan hid her face in Reid's sweater, she hugged his waist and squeezed. "She can't even say hello to everyone." Tyler stated with mock hurt.

"I think we embarrassed her." Kate told them, laughing.

Finally turning her head to look at everyone, she unattached herself from Reid and turned. "Hey guys." She was snagged from Reids' side and hugged by both girls. She couldn't breathe, but she wasn't going to complain.

He kept thinking that he was in a dream, he had to be. Ryan couldn't possibly be snuggled into his side and they were both naked. They just had the most incredible sex of his life. She was responsive to every touch that he placed on her body. And drove him very the edge by her curiosity. Now they were in his bed at home and she was sleeping next to him, and it felt so damn good. He thought about what she did with her hands and they way that she writhed under his when he – "Reid?" it was barely a whisper but he heard it, opening his eyes he looked around. He was in his room and there was someone in his arm. "Reid wake-up," his body came alive when he finally recognized the voice. "If you could please control your hormones I need to talk to you."

"I can't control them." He kissed her bare shoulder and felt her tense, then relax, there was a small sigh and he rolled her over so that he could look at her. "You're so damn beautiful." He kissed his way up the side of her neck and then down the curve of her jaw. He placed his body over hers and let her feel just how hormonal he was, she gasped. "Want to go for round two?"

She leaned up and kissed him. 'Actually it'd be round five."

"Well then," he deepened his kiss, "want to go for round nine or ten?" Not giving her time to respond he began to kiss her body and was satisfied when she became alive under him. They rolled in the bed and were lost to the world.

"Reid, I really need to talk to you." She finally told him. He was on his back with an arm flung over his face the bed sheet hung loosely around his hips and left nothing to the imagination. She traced her fingers along the play of muscle. He really was built and all from swimming. If he were a mermaid, he'd probably the most beautiful merman ever. But that was not the issue. "Reid," he grunted in response. She started to roll away but his arms encircled around her waist and pulled her back to his side. She grunted, "Ugh, your hopeless. I'm leaving after graduation."

"What do you mean you're leaving after grad?"

"Just that. I'm leaving after the ceremony. I'm – I'm swimming down to the Caribbean for the summer."

"Why?"

"Because I have things to do and I still have some training to finish up."

"I don't want you to go," he murmured.

"Then come with me, all you have to do is –"

"But, I don't know if I'm ready for that type of commitment." It hurt she realized, to know that as much as he cared for her he would never fully want to be committed to just her. She closed her eyes and breathed deep. She got out of the bed now and faced him. Not saying anything she began to get dressed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going home." She found her bra and underwear on the floor, her jeans on a chair, and her shirt on his dresser. Grabbing her jacket she put it on and started to head to the door.

"Why? Ryan, its six a.m., come back to bed. Stay." She hesitated and then turned to him.

"Reid, I can't be commanded; I can't make you do something that you don't want to do. But that statement said it all. I'm good enough for your bed, to be seen around at school, right?" she grabbed her purse and shoes, pointing at him. "And the fact that you're just sitting there proves it. I love you. But, you're just like every other guy. Yes commitment is a scary thing, but it can also be very magical."

"Ryan, please." He was pleading, she didn't have to look at him to know the look on his face.

"No Reid. Don't take this for granted." With that she left. He just sat there, for a third time in his life he lost her.

Two weeks later things were exactly the same. Ryan was back to her normal self, and locked herself into her room, her work, and her schooling. Reid got into as much trouble as he could and was more pissed off at the world then anything. Tyler walked into his room and saw Reid sitting on the bed reading a Stephen King novel. "Ok what happened now?"

"Nothing, she left – again." Tyler just took his phone out and called Caleb. Within ten minutes Caleb was standing in the room glaring at Reid. "What happened, and I want the whole story."

Reid sat there and stared at the wall while he retold that night. "Why are you so afraid of this? Why do you fight it?"

"Because I don't know if I want that type of commitment." He yelled, "Is that ok?"

"She loves you. And you love her why are you afraid? If you don't do this you'll both go crazy. If you don't you'll go to the dark side, so to speak. She's the last of her line, take that into account too. Get your head out of your ass and step up. Fear is to be expected with any type of love, but it also grows. And she won't leave you, and I'm damn sure you wouldn't leave her."

"I wouldn't." He whispered, he scrubbed his face with his hands. "She's a mermaid, I'm a man, and how the hell are we going to live together."

Caleb walked over to where he sat and hit him on the back of the head. "You're an idiot you do realize that don't you."

"What?"

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that the one thing that you're worried about is the living arrangements?"

"Yes – no – partly, I don't know if I can be what she wants me to be."

"A man?"

"That was low."

"But true. Look Reid, she loves you for who you are, flaws and everything. When you two get married then you'll worry about where you're going to be living. But if you let her go, you'll be in bigger trouble then if you get into a few arguments at home." Caleb left fifteen minutes later hoping that he got through his thick skull. Hopefully Ryan would come back. He decided to stop by her room Amy was there. "She's not here."

"Ok, is she upset?"

"Yeah something about Reid being a jackass. Why does she put up with him?"

"I thought you liked them together?"

"Not if it causes her this much pain." She looked at him for a minute, contemplating on how to ask him what she wanted to ask. "Caleb – we're friends right?"

Shocked he looked at her fully. "Yeah, why wouldn't we be?"

"Just asking," She took a breath and plunged with her question. "Then can you please tell me what the hell is going on? I think I deserve to know everything."

"Are you sure you do want to know everything?"


	16. Memo!

Hey guys. I know its been a long time. Ok a really long time but between school and work and art I just haven't had the time. I'm working on the new chapter now and hopefully it will be up soon. I just have to tweak some things due to the lost jumpdrive (which was never found unfortunately). Thanks for the support and encouragement

Rayne


	17. Chapter 15

There was a time and place in Reid's life that he would've loved going to the beach. But trying to find where your girlfriend disappeared to, a girlfriend who happens to be your lifemate, and the last sea witch of her line proved to be difficult. Especially in the Caribbean, whose expanse covers over a million square miles. From Mexico to fucking South America, Reid thought. What was he going to do? Scrubbing his hands over his face he looked down at the map laid over the cabins table. True to her word Ryan was gone after graduation, well before it. When he questioned Amy she said that she talked the dean into allowing her not to walk due to a family emergency which required her to leave the country immediately and head to her home country. Due to exceptional grades and no bad records he granted her request. When Reid hadn't seen her in the ceremony at graduation it was too late, she was already gone. So he had a month. One month to find Ryan and accept her as his or they'd both go crazy. He'd most likely destroy the world and her line, the last line of mermaid, would be lost. With a week gone gathering supplies, a boat, and planning out where he was going to search first. He tried magick but it did no good. He couldn't finder her. "Shit!" he yelled and went to the cooler to grab some water, walking back to look at the map again he tried to begin thinking where she could be.

Everyone though he was crazy to go traipsing off on this little adventure. After a girl that obviously did not want to be found. He wouldn't be here if she had actually left when she said she was, he thought, not before. He could ring her gorgeous neck for that. The only people that seem to understand were the ones who knew the whole story. His brotherhood and her roommate. They asked to come along, to help, but he knew this was something he needed to do on his own. He didn't want her to think that he was coming because they were making him. Though she might still, he thought. Her mom wasn't any help either, wouldn't even help him with a little bit of direction. All she had said was that she went to the Caribbean.

Scrubbing his hands over his face he went to the top deck to get some air. Thunder rolled in the distance he looked up to see the storm clouds that began threatening the skyline. The sun was setting and he needed to find some semblance of protection from storm winds and raging seas. Looking around he saw an island in the distance and started steering towards it. The sky lit up with light as he streaked across the sea. He cursed. He was going to die in a thunderstorm and no one would miss him. He could use his powers to protect him but knowing the consequences and the addiction that they had, had begun to take more care and when and how he used them.

Using a portion of fuel to power the engine he cut through the water and entered an island atoll. As he entered winds picked up and the thunder louder now threatened to let loose as soon as it could. Reid sailed close enough to set anchor and try to settle for the night. Batting down all the hatches he crawled into bed and through the constant rocking and battering rain he fell asleep.

In the still of the night, when the storm passed over and the sea became calm and quiet, shadows fell over his sleeping for and whispered in an unknown language. One bearing the marking on her arm that wrapped in a spiral up to her elbow they discussed what they should do with their visitor. Her companion, who held a long curved club, he raised it to bring it down on Reid's head. Her arm streaked out and caught his. "Do not harm him." She spoke in a harsh whisper. Began to search on his body for what she was told should be there.

"Why?" he questioned, "He has trespassed, no mortal can be here."

"Are we not mortals ourselves, we do not live forever, we die just the same as they." She countered and continued after he said nothing. "Regardless of that side he is not human and it is not you who guided him here. " She pointed to the on his hip. " He is the one that was told would come."

Reid began to stir and the one that had the club stilled him with a quick, but soft , knock to the head. "Bring him with you" She stated and left leaving her companion to go top side. Using what little magick bestowed upon her by her mistress she raised the sea to a height where they could rest Reid on a makeshift raft. Lowering it once more those on the boat dove in and raft, man and warriors disappeared.

Reid groaned as offending ray hit him square in the face. He slowly sat up and opened his eyes. Immediately all the sleep left his body as he went on alert – he was no longer on his boat. "What the -?" He murmured. He was on land in a hut made of leaves and branches. Nothing covered the door and bright light streamed into the small enclosure. All there was was the bed Reid was sitting on. Standing up he had to duck to his head so his head wouldn't hit the roof. Glancing out first he saw that there was no other hut on the beach, only a wide expanse of sand between his hut and the water's edge. And upon seeing his boat in the cove, unharmed, and still anchored he relaxed a little bit. But how had he got on land? He saw no other hut, no other soul. He scratched his head. Okay, I know I'm not crazy yet, he thought, I did sleep on my boat last night. He stared at the boat, then at the thickness of trees behind him and the hut. Everything was so pure here. No smog, no haze, just pure Earth and Sea. Completely isolated.

Walking to the water's edge he waded in. He wanted a fresh change of clothes, water and food and seeing that he would only find those on his boat he began to swim. The water was warm, inviting, better than any chlorine pool or ocean water he swam in. If it wasn't for the feeling that he felt as though he was being watched, Reid would just relax in the water. But, his stomach growled, so turning his attention from feeling like he had his eyes on him he swam the rest of the way to his boat.

Ryan woke up with the head of her guard sitting in a chair by her door, the bubble pattern that was flowing upwards told her that her guard was taking a nap after a long and hopefully successful night. She knew that Reid would come on his own time. She just thought, and had hoped that it would be sooner, but things like this could not be rushed, she mused. Though with how hard headed the two of them were who knew what would happen once they finally saw each other. Sighing, stretching, and yawning she sat up in her bed. Her hair had grown since she had moved to the island and fanned out past her shoulders and around her face. The tattoos still wrapped its way around her arm, and the one mark that she was still surprised about was on the back of her neck. Touching it, she thought of Reid. Did they find him?

"Yes we did." Her guard spoke out loud. Doing her own stretching routine she got out of the chair.

"Syrenca," she warned. "Stay out of my head."

"Sorry" the guard chuckled. "But when you're broadcasting so loud it's hard not to." Ryan had yet to grown accustom to the fact that mermaids were telepathic. They could hear and speak to those around them. The stronger ones could do so much more. And Ryan, because she was the sea witch, the most powerful of her kind, could take it away at whim, as was she the judge, jury, and executioner should things go wrong. Because of her power, her people now looked to her instead of her grandmother who though gave the power to her still had enough of her own to stay comfortable. Syrenca studied her mistress. Her mother had been guard to Ryans' grandmother, and before that their families were tied not only by titles but by friendship as well. "He's back on the boat now, eating and wondering how the hell he got to this place. Will you go to him my lady?"

Ryan rolled her eyes. "My lady? Cut it out. You used to call me runt."

"Still are." She chuckled. "Will you?"

"I don't have a choice." Ryan told her looking at her closes confidant. Syrenca stood a head taller than Ryan, with eyes the color of sea foam and hair that was darker than chestnuts. With her complexion olive and dark from days sunning on rocks and her tail a dark pewter gray, she was a sight to behold. A siren from old Syrenca's family were the first to be written about in the Odyssey, drawing sailor to rocks to protect their kind from the eyes of human travelers. Guardians in their own rights, and the fiercest of warriors, they served because they were asked to, because the sea witches were the most powerful and vulnerable of their kind. Ryan stared at the tattoos that covered the shoulders of her friend. Only a handful has such markings.

"What?" Syrenca asked.

"Your markings always surprise me, actually anyones, and my own still surprise me."

"Why?"

"Because they tell so much of the person who wears them. Not only of their rankings but of their actual personality."

"So you are learning." She smiled.

"More than you know. Walk with me?"

"Still torn between land and sea?" Syrenca asked, but nodded and opened the door to swim out.

Swimming to the shore they both changed into their human form. Even on land Syrenca still stood a head taller, compared to Ryan's five-eleven. "I'm not torn. I just love both so much. It feels natural to be in the water and on land but that is probably because I'm used to both." She tugged at the hem of her tank top. Her skirt flitted around ankles and trailed in the sand. It was her first lesson. She was never to show her human legs but to her family and mate. Tying her hair back with a piece of seaweed she waited for Syrenca to come out. "Tell me the truth friend. Is this right?"

"You doubt yourself? Or your man?"

"Both I think. He thinks so little of himself. I don't know what I'd do if he –"

"Stop. Ryan look at me." She waited until Ryan turned towards her. "Do you think he would've found this place if it wasn't meant to be? You know that only those that are supposed to find the islands will. Those that aren't sail straight past it.

"That means very little."

"Do you think your mate would travel this far to reject you?"

Quiet for a moment Ryan considered it. As hardheaded as Reid was he wouldn't go on a wild goose chase to tell a girl that he was through. Even if it was a lifemate. Sighing, she relented. "You're right. Should I tell him?"

"That is up to you my lady." Before Ryan could say anything she held up her hand. "It is wise to tell him because if you don't it'd hurt him not to know. But, tell him only after you're bonded as to not influence." Hooking her arm through Ryans she dragged her down the beach. "Now tell me all about him as to better paint a picture of a way to tear him apart should he hurt you."

Ryan laughed.


	18. Chapter 16

Standing on the bow of his boat Reid sucked on a piece of pineapple. Where was he? He looked over the maps and it was nowhere to be found on any of them. The island itself was uncharted, unnamed, which meant it didn't exist to humans. It didn't help that he couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching him. Looking around again he didn't see anyone, but that didn't mean anything. He started to go below deck when something on land caught his eyes. Coming from the south side of the beach two people were walking along, both wearing long skirts and tank tops. He nearly shouted until he realized that he didn't know if they were friendly. Time to find out, he mused as his eyes turned black as onyx and he flashed himself to land.

As he got closer he could tell that both women were very at home with where they were, dragging their feet through the water he could hear one laugh probably at something the other said. The taller one seemed to carry some sort of curved instrument at her side. The shorter one had a head ornament that framed her forehead like a widows peak. "Um, ladies, excuse me?" He yelled. They both stopped. The shorter one with long black hair started to turn when the other grabbed her. "Hi. Can you help me?" He yelled again.

After a short debate the two started to walk towards him again. As they got closer to each other Reid was shocked at how stunning they both were. For being on an island he was sure that the locals would have more difficulties breeding and genetics than was he was seeing. Especially when one looked very familiar.

She wasn't ready. She was hoping to have another day, or a week to sort through everything that was going through her when she was told that Reid was in the bay. That he was searching for her. She tried to walk away but Syrenca had other ideas, nearly dragging her down the beach they walked towards the man she loved instead of away from him.

When they got close enough that they didn't have to yell down the beach at each other. She wondered how long it would take for him to figure that it was her. "Hello Reid." She stated.

Blanching he stared at her. "Ryan?" No it couldn't be, he thought, not here. But he knew it was her. He could feel it in his body. He hugged her. He wanted to drag her away but the behemoth of a body guard was watching them both closely. "I'm so glad I found you. Why didn't you wait to leave? How could you just leave like that? No word, nothing. Just gone. I was going crazy! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Looking at the sand she shuffled it along with her feet. Well she knew that it wouldn't be all love and romance with him. "I had to leave Reid. There was nothing there for me."

He shook her once by the arms. "What do you mean nothing there for you?" The body guard took a step forward. "Back off." He stated. "This is between us and not you. So do you mind?"

"I do mind you ingrate of a wizards soul. I could turn you into a crab and think nothing of it."

"Syrenca" Ryan pinched the bridge of her nose. Her back hurt, her legs hurt, everything just ached. She wanted to go back into the water "It's ok. Promise. Reid quit being a jerk."

"A jerk?" Reid muttered. "You disappear without a trace. And I'm the jerk." He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Syrenca is my friend, and guardian. She's my protector." She nodded to her friend and then looked at Reid.

"Remember tadpole about the crabs. My lady I will be only a short distance off shore." With that she waded into the water and disappeared underneath it. A short while later a skirt and tanktop floated to shore. The two stood in silence watching each other, the sand, the clouds, the trees. But said nothing.

"Oh what use is this!" Ryan yelled. "Why are you here Reid?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"You'll have to spell it out for me. I'm tired and I'm sore."

He opened his mouth to say something, what he had been planning on saying only to remember that he really had nothing planned to say. He looked her over head to toe. The tattoo on her arm shone brightly in the glare of the sun, glinting a black blue. That and what seemed to be some sort of crown was the only thing that showed her rank to him. Her hair was longer when the breeze blew it across her face he reached out and touched it. Still soft and smooth. Those fingers that stroked her hair began to trace the curves of her jaw. "I missed you Ryan. Too damn much." He cupped her jaw and leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. What turned out to be simple and sweet at first turned into a groping match between to people.

She was the first to break the contact. Stepping back to catch her breath that he seemed to steal from her. The air around them seemed to sizzle with the electricity of an eel. "That doesn't answer the question. I miss a lot of people too Reid. Why you are here has left to be explained." Did he expect that she'd make this easy on him, putting her through hell just to come to a beach and tell her that he missed her.

"I wanted to see you. Needed it."

"So that's it, you want me to come running back to your arms because you needed to see me? I love you Reid. You. It's a simple as that. Well add to it that you are supposed to be my mate. But I can see that you still have your ways about you."

"Ryan I Groaning in frustration he turned away from her. "I don't know what you want me to say Ryan. I don't.

"Then we have nothing left to discuss. Goodbye Reid." She turned to walk away.

"Don't leave. Not again." He told her in a soft voice. "I can't bear it."

"And I can't bear for the fact that you haven't changed. My future is sealed, what we have made together before I left is sealed. The only thing that isn't is the fact that you have yet to tell me how you feel. To accept what is written. I've seen a lot Reid and what you will become if you don't accept what we have, what we could have is the darkest that I have ever seen. But that can change. If you let it." She took a breath. "You can stay as long as you are welcomed here. There are many on shore that find this to be their refuge and home, please don't start anything."

"Ryan."

"Reid don't seek me until you are ready. Until then I won't be found by you." And with that she walked into the water, her heart heavy.

He probably called out her name for a good five minutes until he realized that she wasn't coming back. Why was he so afraid of this? He knew he wanted her. Knew that he loved her. So why in the world was he hurting her and himself with the stubbornness that could five a mule competition?

He spent another twenty minutes stalking up and down the beach kicking sand and cutting the bottom of his feet on broken shells. He barely noticed. Finally when the sun was beginning to set he swam back to his boat wanting the day to be over so he could start over. Not hungry, he took a long hot shower to try and ease away the doubt and the anger that he felt towards everything. It didn't help. If anything standing there under the spray made him angrier at himself for being an idiot and at her for being so stubborn. He'd get her back, he didn't know how or when but by the time this month was up he and Ryan would be together again. Grabbing a towel he wrapped it around his waist, he needed to figure out how though. She said that she wouldn't be found until he was ready, well when the hell would he know? Maybe the morning would draw more answers. Slipping under the covers wearing nothing he stared at the ceiling thinking of impromptu blue eyes.


End file.
